Photo: Video Screenshot

SANGSAD BHABAN, Sept 08, 2026 (BSS) - The government is creating an error-free digital database through door-to-door data collection to ensure transparency in selecting beneficiaries of social safety net programmes, Social Welfare Minister Prof Dr. Abu Zafar Md. Zahid Hossain told parliament today.

Also Minister for Women and Children Affairs said this while replying to a supplementary question from ruling party lawmaker Rafiqul Islam Hilali of Netrokona-3 during the day’s question-answer session in Parliament.

Hilali said many genuinely distressed and low-income people at the grassroots level remain excluded from social safety allowance lists due to various complications. He also pointed to allegations of a lack of transparency in selecting beneficiaries in some areas.

He also asked whether the government had any specific plan to introduce a robust and error-free digital database and strengthen monitoring so that assistance reaches genuinely vulnerable people.

In reply, the minister said work on creating the digital database had already begun.

“Data collection through a door-to-door approach is currently underway to make the database 100 percent error-free,” he said.

He said the problems and doubts surrounding the selection of beneficiaries would largely be resolved once the distribution of Family Cards begins nationwide simultaneously.

The minister said various social safety allowances, including old-age and widow allowances, were distributed under a “pick-and-choose” system during the previous government.

“Under that system, a specific number of people were selected for allowances. As a result, not everyone received allowances even after meeting the required age criteria,” he said.

He said the government had now taken initiatives to make the programmes universal.

“As a result, we hope the number of errors will gradually come down to zero,” he added.

In reply to another question from opposition (Jamaat-e-Islami) lawmaker Salah Uddin of Gazipur-4, the Social Welfare Minister said establishing rehabilitation centres for drug addicts does not fall under the responsibilities of the Ministry of Social Welfare.

He said the establishment of drug addiction treatment centres falls under the responsibilities of the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Health.

However, he said the Ministry of Social Welfare provides rehabilitation opportunities for people after they complete treatment for drug addiction.

The ministry has undertaken initiatives to rehabilitate unemployed youths and women in society through vocational training, he said, adding that 14 trades have been identified for this purpose.

The minister said the programme currently operates in all 64 districts.

“The training programme will gradually be expanded to the upazila level alongside the district level,” he said.

He added that people recovering from drug addiction through treatment would also have the opportunity to receive such training and become rehabilitated in society.