Dhaka, March 17 -- The government has decided to provide Farmer Cards to 22,000 farmers in an initial pilot programme.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will formally launch the scheme in Tangail Sadar on Pohela Boishakh, the first day of the Bangla New Year.

The decision was made at a meeting on the Farmer Card initiative chaired by the prime minister at the Secretariat on Tuesday, according to his Additional Press Secretary Atiqur Rahman Ruman.

He said the cards would be distributed simultaneously among farmers in 11 Upazilas across the country.

The 11 Upazilas selected for the programme are Tangail Sadar, Panchagarh Sadar, Boda in Panchagarh, Shibganj in Bogura, Shailkupa in Jhenaidah, Nesarabad in Pirojpur, Teknaf in Cox's Bazar, Adar...