The government has allocated Tk 1,16,731 crore for social security programmes in the proposed national budget for the fiscal year 2025-26, marking a significant increase and reaffirming its commitment to poverty alleviation and human rights.

This allocation represents a 3.27-fold increase from the Tk 35,975 crore earmarked in FY 2015-16, and now accounts for 14.78 percent of the total national budget and 1.87 percent of GDP.

According to the budget document, the government views social protection not only as a vital development priority but also as a tool for addressing poverty and vulnerability across the country.

The social security allocation is distributed among 95 programmes, a sharp reduction from 140 in the previous fiscal year, due to efforts to streamline and consolidate initiatives for better efficiency.

Among the various components, social assistance comprises the largest share—40.78 percent—spanning 36 different programmes accumulated Tk 47,597 crore.

This is followed by: Social Insurance programmes of Tk 35,434 crore and three General Subsidies programmes with Tk 24,965 crore, with the 19 Labor Market Programmes of Tk 4171 crore, 15 social care service programmes with Tk 2327 crore, 17 Community Development programmes with Tk 2013 crore and three Technical Assistance programmes with Tk 223 crore.

The budget document highlights that the increased allocation and restructuring reflect the government’s strategic shift toward a more integrated and policy-aligned social protection system.

This year, the Finance Division has introduced key reforms, including the use of a unified Operational Code system under the Integrated Budget and Accounting System (iBAS++), enabling better expenditure tracking and reporting. For instance, previously fragmented programmes such as those for the welfare of Hijra, Bede, disadvantaged communities, and tea labourers—once spread across four Operational Codes—have now been merged into a single code.

These reforms align with the recommendations of the National Social Security Strategy (NSSS), which calls for concentrating resources on a smaller number of priority schemes that address lifecycle risks more effectively.

To further improve transparency and coordination, each ministry and division has been tasked with identifying and classifying their social security programmes using seven functional and nine lifecycle categories. Programmes are now categorized based on the type of intervention—cash, kind, food, or others.

The comprehensive classification exercise is expected to enhance consistency, allow more accurate monitoring, and ensure policy coherence across ministries. It also distinguishes between core social security interventions and broader development projects, facilitating better planning and resource allocation.

The government believes this consolidated approach will enable a more robust and responsive social protection system capable of delivering benefits more efficiently to those most in need.