Dhaka, April 14 -- Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has launched the government's "Farmer Card" programme by sending Tk 2,500 each to 22,065 landless, marginal and small-scale farmers in 11 Upazilas.

On Pahela Baishakh, he inaugurated the scheme from Shaheed Maruf Stadium in Tangail at 12:15pm on Tuesday by pressing a button on a laptop, triggering the cash transfer to the beneficiaries through mobile banking.

The launch marks another step in the BNP government's efforts to fulfil its election pledges. It has already rolled out the Family Card, Sports Card and canal excavation programmes.

At the event, the prime minister handed over Farmer Cards and saplings to 15 farmers. They are Abu Kaiser, Roman, Shahnur Alam, Shah Alam, Julekha Akhta...