Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Tuesday directed the authorities concerned to prepare a complete and accurate database of farmers by December through a transparent verification process to ensure that government support reaches genuine farmers.

The directive came at a meeting on the Farmers’ Card programme held at the Prime Minister's Office in the Cabinet Division at the Bangladesh Secretariat, said PM’s Deputy Press Secretary Hasan Shiplu. 

The Prime Minister instructed the authorities to ensure that the new Farmers’ Card carries the holder's photograph and a QR code, along with information on the farmer's identity, agricultural production, government assistance and agricultural market-related services.

He asked the officials concerned to take these requirements into account while designing the card.

Officials at the meeting said the process of opening bank accounts for farmers has already begun.

Once the necessary preparations are completed, the cards will be distributed to farmers in phases, they said.

The Farmers’ Card has been introduced to ensure that government subsidies, soft loans, incentives and other support for the agriculture sector reach genuine farmers quickly and efficiently.

A total of 43 lakh farmers are expected to receive the card during the current fiscal year.

The government plans to bring around two crore farmers across the country under the programme over the next three years.