Chief Adviser joined a meeting with senior officials of the Department of Social Services at the State Guest House Jamuna. Photo: PID

DHAKA, Aug 04, 2025 (BSS)- Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus has asked the Department of Social Services to urgently reform outdated systems and enhance digital transparency.

He also asked the department to prioritise services for senior citizens and women in a bid to ensure benefits reach those who truly need those.

The Chief Adviser said this in a meeting with senior officials of the Department of Social Services at the State Guest House Jamuna here today.

The meeting focused on key challenges facing the ministry, including scams involving senior citizen allowances, outdated administrative models, and limited access to services.

“This ministry still operates based on a backdated model from 2013. It needs to be revised urgently,” said Prof Yunus. 

“There’s a lot of misinformation and people get stressed and confused. It’s essential to ensure accurate listing and come up with real solutions,” he added.

The Chief Adviser expressed concern over misuse of the system in the past, saying political interference had led to unfair distribution of benefits.

“Many individuals received allowances illegally because of political influence. This kind of discrimination must come to an end,” he said.

About the scams over the senior citizen allowances, Prof Yunus recommended aligning disbursements with data from the NID system. 

“Allowances should be provided according to the age on the NID – this is the only way to prevent fraud,” he said.

He further emphasized the importance of empowering girls through the ministry’s programmes. 

“If there are any skill-building opportunities, girls should be prioritized. We must focus on them specifically,” he said.

The Chief Adviser also stressed the need for digital transformation to make services more accessible and transparent.

“This ministry should build a mobile app that includes all available services and information in one place. People shouldn’t have to struggle to find out what help they can get,” he said. 

The meeting was attended by Social Service Adviser Sharmeen S Murshid and officials from the Ministry of Social Welfare along with Senior Secretary and SDG coordinator Lamiya Morshed and Principal Secretary M Siraz Uddin Miah.