1.16 lakh orphans to get govt support

The government has approved Tk140.11 crore as the second instalment of grants for the 2025-26 fiscal year to support food and basic necessities for orphan children living in registered private orphanages across the country.

According to an order issued following approval from the Ministry of Social Welfare, the funds have been allocated for 1,16,759 orphan children residing in 4,209 private orphanages spread across all
64 districts.

The allocation forms part of the budget earmarked for the Private Orphanage sector in the current fiscal year and will be distributed through district, upazila and urban social services offices in accordance with government guidelines.

Sources at the Department of Social Services said a total of Tk280 crore was allocated for the Private Orphanage sector in FY2025-26. Of this amount, Tk139.88 crore was released in the first instalment, while the newly approved Tk140.11 crore constitutes the second and final phase of disbursement.

Under the programme, each orphan child will receive support at a rate of Tk2,000 per month for six months, covering the period from January to June 2026. As a result, Tk12,000 has been earmarked for each child to help meet food expenses and other essential needs.

Officials said the long-running government grant programme aims to ensure the welfare, protection and proper development of orphan children by providing financial assistance to registered private orphanages. The initiative is designed to help vulnerable and parentless children grow up in a safe and supportive environment.

The official order instructed authorities to strictly follow the provisions of the Government Grant Allocation and Distribution Policy-2014 during the distribution of funds.

Social services officers have also been directed to closely monitor the release and utilisation of the grants to ensure transparency and proper use of public funds. Regular field-level supervision will be carried out to verify that the allocated money is being spent for the intended purposes.

Officials from the Ministry of Social Welfare and the Department of Social Services expressed optimism that the timely release of the funds would improve the living conditions of thousands of orphan children nationwide while also helping private orphanages meet their operational expenses.