DHAKA, Jan 25, 2026 (BSS) - The Advisers Council Committee on Social Safety Net Programmes today finalized the number of beneficiaries and allowance rates for 15 social safety net programmes for the fiscal year 2026–27.

The decisions were taken today at the committee’s 32nd meeting held at the Finance Division with Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed in the chair.

Under the Ministry of Social Welfare, the number of beneficiaries of the old age allowance programme has been increased by 100,000 to 6.2 million. Of them, 5.995 million elderly persons will receive Taka 700 per month, up from Taka 650, while 205,000 persons aged above 90 years will receive Taka 1,000 per month.

Under the same ministry, among 2.9 million widows and divorced or distressed women, 2.875 million will receive Taka 700 per month instead of Taka 650, while 25,000 widows aged above 90 years will receive Taka 1,000 per month, said a Finance Ministry press release.
The disability allowance and education stipend programme will cover 3.6 million persons with disabilities in the 2026–27 fiscal year. Of them, 3,581,900 beneficiaries will receive Taka 900 per month and 18,100 beneficiaries will receive Taka 1,000 per month. In the current fiscal year, 3.45 million persons are receiving disability allowances.

Monthly stipend rates for students with disabilities have been increased by Taka 50, setting the rates at Taka 950 for primary, Taka 1,000 for secondary, Taka 1,100 for higher secondary and Taka 1,350 for higher education levels.

Under the life improvement programme for backward communities, the number of beneficiaries has been increased by 7,000 to 228,389, while the monthly allowance has been raised from Taka 650 to Taka 700. 

The number of stipend recipients has been increased by 3,198 to 45,338, with monthly rates fixed at Taka 700 for primary, Taka 800 for secondary, Taka 1,000 for higher secondary and Taka 1,200 for higher education. Besides, 5,490 individuals will receive skill development training under the programme.

The number of beneficiaries under the financial assistance programme for patients suffering from cancer, kidney disease, liver cirrhosis, paralysis due to stroke, congenital heart disease and thalassemia has been increased by 5,000 to 65,000. The one-time medical assistance has been doubled from Taka 50,000 to Taka 100,000.

Under the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, the number of beneficiaries of the mother and child assistance programme has been increased by 124,000 to 1,895,200. Each beneficiary mother receives Taka 850 per month.
Under the Ministry of Food, beneficiary families under the food-friendly programme have been increased by 500,000 to six million. Each family receives 30 kg of rice per month at Taka 15 per kg for six months under the programme.

At the meeting, the monthly allowance for gallantry award winning freedom fighters and families of martyred freedom fighters under the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs was increased by Taka 5,000. 

The meeting also recommended bringing the monthly honorarium for families of martyrs and injured persons of the July mass uprising under the committee’s purview.

It was further recommended to include the VGF programme under the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock as a social safety net programme. 

In the 2026–27 fiscal year, 273,514 new fishermen will be included, raising the total number of fishermen under the programme to 1.5 million.