BSS :
Alongside the excitement of having a new baby, Farzana Akther, 28, felt anxious thinking about future since her day labourer husband faces various hardship to run their six-member family.
However, like many poor mothers across the country, Farzana Akther, mother of two sons, got relief from the anxiety by receiving the maternity allowance under Social Safety Net (SSN) programme of the government.
“It was very difficult for my husband to bear additional expenses during my pregnancy period and after the birth of my baby. So, I was anxious. But, when I received Taka 800 each month for three years as maternity allowance through mobile banking, I bought necessary things for my baby,” said Farzana, a resident of South Sripur village under Gunaboti Union of the Chauddagram upazila in Cumilla district.
“Although the amount of maternity allowance is small, but it is very much helpful for bearing additional expenses of my little child,” she said.
She thanked the government for digitizing the allowance disbursement process as it (the process) has become hassle free and more transparent.
“As the government digitized the entire process, I receive the money timely and so, I can spend the money for my child as per necessity,” she added.
Fatema Begum, a middle-aged woman of the same upazila, is also receiving Taka 800 every month through mobile banking account which is helping her to bear the expenses of her five-month-old daughter.
“I was anxious for my new born baby. It was very difficult for my day labourer husband to ensure proper nutrition for my little child. But the government support is helping us to ensure proper nutrition for her,” she added.
Moreover, she said, disbursement of the allowance through Mobile Financial Service (MFS) operators has made the process easier and comfortable for her.
Like thousands of beneficiaries under the social safety net programme in Bangladesh, Farzana Akther and Fatema Begum are also benefitting through receiving allowances under social safety net programme, which eventually is reducing poverty across the country.
Social safety net programme includes provision of income security for the elderly, widows and persons-with-disabilities, generating temporary employment for working age men and women, and supporting the healthy development of young mothers and children.
Apart from cash transfer through digital platform to the poor and extreme poor, the government also supports vulnerable people through immediate relief and cash transfer programmes during emergencies like floods, cyclones and earthquakes.
The government has disbursed around Taka 5,885 crore under the SSN programmes like old-age allowance, widow allowance, allowances for the people with special needs or allowances for the underprivileged, and allowances for the students with special needs through MFS operators and agent banking in the 2020-21 fiscal year.
Bangladesh Bank and a2i has jointly established the Digital Financial Services (DFS) Lab to expand and deepen digital financial inclusion.
