Govt to launch ‘Expatriate Card’ in August on pilot basis with special benefits

The government has decided to launch the new ‘Expatriate Card’ by August on a pilot basis wikth 10 new features.

The decision was taken during a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at the Chameli Hall of Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on Saturday.

During the meeting, government officials said that the initiative aims to enhance the social status and empowerment of expatriate Bangladeshis while providing financial incentives and international payment and banking facilities through a dual-currency card.

Officials said the Expatriate Card is part of the government's election pledges, following the rollout of the Family Card, Farmer Card, and Sports Card programmes.

Cardholders will be entitled to at least 10 benefits, including complimentary airport lounge access at home and abroad, priority immigration services, meet-and-greet facilities at international airports, discounts on air tickets and hotel bookings, preferential car rental and airport transfer services, priority healthcare services, free repatriation of bodies in the event of a cardholder's death abroad, rehabilitation and insurance support for returning migrants, priority access to land registration and utility services, remittance reward points, credit and loan facilities, and expedited access to national identity, passport, consular, banking, and other government services.

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Officials said that the pilot launch is scheduled for mid-August. In the first phase, the state-owned Janata Bank will issue the Expatriate Debit Card. The government aims to distribute 50,000 cards by December 2026 and 200,000 by June 2027.

In the second phase, all Expatriate Card-related services will be managed through Probashi Kallyan Bank.

During the meeting, the prime minister also directed the authorities to modernise the National Skills Development Authority and ensure that Bangladeshi expatriates living around the world are brought under the Expatriate Card programme.

Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury, State Minister Nurul Haque Nur, Prime Minister's advisers Rehan Asif Asad and Mahdi Amin, Special Assistant Shakirul Islam Khan, and senior officials from relevant ministries and agencies attended the meeting.