Ministry of Social Welfare

What Ministry of Social Welfare does

The Ministry of Social Welfare (সমাজকল্যাণ মন্ত্রণালয়) is a government ministry of the People's Republic of Bangladesh headquartered at the Bangladesh Secretariat in Dhaka, with a staff of 253. It is the sole statutory authority for social welfare, social protection, disability affairs, and child welfare policy in Bangladesh, delivering services through a network spanning all 64 districts and approximately 2,421 sub-district offices under the Department of Social Services.

The Ministry operates a portfolio of citizen-facing digital platforms: the Family Card system (a national targeting mechanism for social welfare benefit delivery), the Integrated Digital Service Delivery Platform for medical assistance and capitation grant applications, the Child Help Line 1098 (a 24/7 nationwide toll-free helpline for child protection operated with UNICEF support), the Child Services Management System, the Disability School Online Application System, and the Merit Scholarship Portal. The Child Helpline 1098 alone handled approximately 229,464 calls between December 2015 and November 2018, resulting in 1,691 child abuse case resolutions and 2,421 child reinstatements. Hospital Social Welfare Officers are stationed in 64 district hospitals and medical college hospitals. The Ministry also coordinates seven subordinate statutory bodies, including the National Foundation for the Development of Disabled Persons, the Bangladesh National Social Welfare Council, the Bangladesh Rehabilitation Council, the Physical Disability Protection Trust (Maitree Shilpa), the Neuro-Developmental Disability Protection Trust, and the Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Trust Bangladesh.

The Ministry is funded entirely through annual government budget allocations and provides all services free of charge to citizens. Its customer base consists of vulnerable populations: elderly citizens, widows and abandoned women, persons with disabilities, children at risk (including abuse, trafficking, child labor, and child marriage cases), marginalized communities (Hijra, Bede, tea garden workers), injured and burn survivors, orphans, and patients with catastrophic illnesses (cancer, kidney disease, liver cirrhosis, stroke, congenital heart disease, thalassemia). Service distribution occurs via direct field offices, e-government portals, and the toll-free 1098 call center. The Ministry is currently led by Secretary Dr. Mohammad Abu Yusuf, appointed August 18, 2025, following the June 2026 launch of Phase 3 of the Family Card nationwide distribution program.

Name

Ministry of Social Welfare

Legal name

Ministry of Social Welfare

Website

https://msw.gov.bd

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

The Ministry of Social Welfare is the Government of Bangladesh's statutory authority for social welfare, disability affairs, and child protection, delivering free services to vulnerable citizens — including elderly, widows, persons with disabilities, and children at risk — through a network spanning all 64 districts and digital platforms including the Family Card system and Child Helpline 1098.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Social Welfare Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAEAK

Financial Assistance & Benefits Navigation Services

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Social Services & Community Support (Food, Housing, Family)

SECONDARYBPAIAKAD

Family & Child Benefits Administration (Child Allowance, Parental Leave)

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Social Security, Benefits & Welfare Administration

SECONDARYBPAIAKAH

Healthcare-Linked Social Benefits Administration (e.g., Medicaid/Means-Tested Health Coverage)

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Social Security, Benefits & Welfare Administration

SECONDARYBPAIAKAK

Social Care & Long-Term Care Benefits Administration

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Social Security, Benefits & Welfare Administration

SECONDARYBPADAHAF

Protection Services (GBV, Child Protection, Safeguarding)

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/Refugee, Migration & Displacement Services

Keywords

• Social welfare services
• Child protection programs
• Disability support services
• Government allowance programs
• Social safety net

Headquarters

HQ city

Dhaka

HQ country

Bangladesh

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Budget Allocation: Ministry is funded through annual government budget allocations. Social welfare programs including allowances for elderly, widows, persons with disabilities, and marginalized communities are financed through national budget.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Ministry of Social Welfare delivers social welfare programs and allowances to vulnerable populations of Bangladesh, including the elderly, widows, persons with disabilities, children at risk, and marginalized communities. Its core offerings include the Family Card national identification and targeting program, the Child Help Line 1098 nationwide child protection hotline, medical assistance for catastrophic illnesses, capitation grants, merit scholarships, and rehabilitation services, all provided free of charge to citizens through a network of district and upazila offices across all 64 districts.

Product overview

The Ministry of Social Welfare operates a portfolio of citizen-facing digital platforms and programs under a unified service delivery architecture. Core products include the Family Card (ফ্যামিলি কার্ড) program — a national targeting mechanism for social welfare delivery — and the Integrated Digital Service Delivery Platform (ইন্টিগ্রেটেড ডিজিটাল সার্ভিস ডেলিভারি প্ল্যাটফর্ম), which consolidates applications for medical assistance, capitation grants, and scholarships. Supporting platforms include the Child Help Line 1098 (a 24/7 emergency hotline for children), a Disability School Online Application System, a Child Services Management System, and an internal Web Mail system powered by Zimbra. Additional services encompass Hospital Social Services across 64 districts, Elderly Allowance, Widow and Abandoned Women Allowance, Disability Allowance, Education Scholarships for Disabled Students, and assistance for cancer, kidney, and liver cirrhosis patients. The portfolio is anchored by annual reports spanning FY 2015–16 through FY 2023–24, downloadable forms, and internal e-services accessible to ministry staff.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Child Helpline 1098 (চাইল্ড হেল্পলাইন ১০৯৮): A child protection helpline service operated by the Department of Social Services under the Ministry, providing 24/7 assistance for children facing violence, abuse, and exploitation.
• Family Card Program (ফ্যামিলি কার্ড)

Products and services

• Family Card Program (ফ্যামিলি কার্ড) A national family identification and social welfare targeting program that distributes family cards to vulnerable populations across Bangladesh to streamline delivery of social security benefits and assistance.
• Integrated Digital Service Delivery Platform (ইন্টিগ্রেটেড ডিজিটাল সার্ভিস ডেলিভারি প্ল্যাটফর্ম) A unified digital platform enabling online applications for medical assistance (for cancer, kidney, liver cirrhosis, stroke, congenital heart disease, thalassemia), capitation grants, and various government subsidies for citizens.
• Child Help Line 1098 (শিশু সহায়তা ফোন) A 24/7 nationwide toll-free helpline (1098) for children facing violence, abuse, trafficking, child labor, and child marriage. Operates from a Centralized Call Center in Dhaka, providing emergency rescue, counseling, legal aid, rehabilitation, and referral services.
• Disability School Online Application System An online application system for the establishment, recognition, and government salary (MPO) enrollment of schools for students with disabilities in Bangladesh.
• Child Services Management System (শিশু সেবা ব্যবস্থাপনা) A digital system for managing child welfare services, including orphan care, child protection, and family-based care programs under the Department of Social Services.
• Merit Scholarship Portal (মেধাবৃত্তি) An online portal for managing and disbursing merit-based scholarships for children from vulnerable families across Bangladesh.
• Hospital Social Services Program (হাসপাতাল সমাজসেবা কার্যক্রম) Social welfare services deployed across 64 district hospitals and major medical facilities nationwide, with dedicated Hospital Social Welfare Officers providing psychosocial support, patient counseling, and referral services.
• Citizen E-Services (নাগরিক ই-সেবা) A suite of citizen-facing electronic services including medical assistance applications, capitation grants for private orphanages, and merit scholarships, all accessible through the Integrated Digital Service Delivery Platform.

Named customers3 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Department of Social Services (সমাজসেবা অধিদফতর)coreOthersThe Department of Social Services is the primary field implementation arm of the Ministry, operating social welfare offices in all 64 districts and sub-districts of Bangladesh. It implements all major social welfare programs including allowances, shelter homes, child care institutions, and rehabilitation services.
• National Foundation for Development of Persons with Disabilities (জাতীয় প্রতিবন্ধী উন্নয়ন ফাউন্ডেশন)coreOthersAutonomous foundation under the Ministry providing development services and support for persons with disabilities in Bangladesh.
• Bangladesh National Social Welfare Council (বাংলাদেশ জাতীয় সমাজকল্যাণ পরিষদ)coreOthersNational council operating under the Ministry that coordinates social welfare activities and programs across Bangladesh.
• Bangladesh Rehabilitation Council (বাংলাদেশ রিহ্যাবিলিটেশন কাউন্সিল)supportingOthersRegulatory and standards body under the Ministry for rehabilitation services for persons with disabilities.
• Physical Disability Protection Trust/Maitree Shilpa (শারীরিক প্রতিবন্ধী সুরক্ষা ট্রাস্ট, মৈত্রী শিল্প)supportingOthersTrust under the Ministry providing protection and support services for physically disabled individuals, operated under the Maitree Shilpa initiative.
• Neuro-Developmental Disability Protection Trust (নিউরো-ডেভেলপমেন্টাল প্রতিবন্ধী সুরক্ষা ট্রাস্ট)supportingOthersTrust under the Ministry providing protection and support services for individuals with neurodevelopmental disabilities.
• Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Trust Bangladesh (শেখ জায়েদ বিন সুলতান আল নাহিয়ান ট্রাস্ট)supportingOthersInternational trust operating in Bangladesh under the Ministry for humanitarian and social welfare purposes.
• UNICEF BangladeshcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNICEF provides financial and technical support for the Child Help Line 1098 program. The centralized call center is operated with UNICEF cooperation, and the program was piloted in December 2015 with UNICEF support before nationwide launch in October 2016.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety, Pakistan: Pakistan's primary social protection agency (Benazir Income Support Programme / BISP) delivering cash transfers to low-income households nationwide. Comparable in delivering unconditional and conditional cash transfers at scale across districts using a digital beneficiary registry.
• Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Social Welfare, Sri Lanka: Sri Lankan ministry responsible for social welfare programs, Samurdhi poverty alleviation, and elderly/disabled person welfare. South Asian regional counterpart delivering similar cash-transfer and welfare allowance schemes through a national administrative network.
• Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizens, Nepal: Nepalese ministry with overlapping mandates on child protection, women empowerment, elderly welfare, and disability affairs. Comparable South Asian regional peer with similar federal-to-local service delivery architecture and similar beneficiary segments.

Direct peers

• Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Philippines: Philippine national agency responsible for social welfare and development programs including conditional cash transfers (4Ps), protective services for children and women in difficult circumstances, and persons-with-disability affairs. Closely comparable mission, beneficiary targeting, and allowance-based delivery model.
• Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, Bangladesh: Bangladesh's sister ministry, sharing leadership with the Minister of Social Welfare. Handles overlapping mandates on women and child welfare, creating direct functional overlap in target beneficiaries (women, children, vulnerable groups) and parallel program delivery channels.
• Ministry of Women and Child Development, India: Indian central ministry focused on child protection (including CHILDLINE 1098), women's welfare, and nutrition programs. Directly comparable in operating a national child helpline (1098) and large-scale child protection and family welfare programs under a single ministry.
• Ministry of Social Affairs, Indonesia: Indonesian ministry delivering social rehabilitation, social security, social empowerment, and child protection programs. Comparable in scope (elderly, persons with disabilities, children at risk) and in operating a national digital welfare beneficiary database (DTKS) alongside district-level service offices.
• Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, India: India's central ministry responsible for welfare of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, persons with disabilities, and senior citizens. Directly comparable as a national government ministry delivering social welfare, disability allowances, and protective services across a large South Asian population through district-level field offices.

Others

• Department of Social Services (DSS), Bangladesh: Implementing arm of the Ministry of Social Welfare, operating all district and upazila social service offices nationwide. Functionally the field-level service delivery counterpart; included here as it is the most operationally comparable entity within Bangladesh's welfare ecosystem.
• UNICEF Bangladesh: Core strategic partner supporting the Ministry's Child Helpline 1098 program with technical and financial cooperation. Ecosystem participant rather than competitor, but highly comparable in mission alignment around child protection, social policy, and welfare data systems.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ministry-of-social-welfare

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Ministry of Social Welfare