Government stipends for the July-December period have not been disbursed to 1.4 crore students due to a mobile financial service (MFS) verification issue, disrupting their education.
Among the 54 lakh stipend recipients at the secondary level, about 8 lakh guardians have MFS-related issues. At the primary level, 20 to 30 per cent of the 87 lakh recipient students face the same problem – which translates to nearly 20 lakh students.
An analysis of data provided by primary, secondary and higher education directorates put the combined figure at nearly 30 lakh students affected. However, from pre-primary to higher secondary, not a single student has yet received stipend for the last six-month period.
Aside from account verification issues, the stipend management software distributed to educational institutions is facing glitches.
Even though the primary-level stipend software is operational, it does not always function accurately, creating problems in updating information. The software for secondary-level stipends is currently non-operational.
This disruption is causing serious difficulties for underprivileged students in purchasing exercise books, pens, and school uniforms.
What’s the issue?
A student’s mother is considered the guardian for stipend disbursement. The stipend money is sent to a mobile financial service (MFS) account registered in the mother’s name.
However, according to recent instructions from the finance ministry, a student’s mother must have her own MFS account linked to a SIM registered in her name. If this condition is not fulfilled, verification fails, and the stipend cannot be disbursed.
Stipend funds are sent to students via bKash, Rocket, Nagad, Upay, and M-cash. If the student’s mother is alive, the money is sent to an account in her name; if not, to the father’s account; and if neither is present, to a recognised guardian’s account.
The mobile financial service account must be opened with one of the five services using the same National ID number used to register the mobile SIM.
When approached by TIMES of Bangladesh, Scheme Director Mohammad Asadul Haque of Harmonized Stipend Programme at the Prime Minister’s Education Assistance Trust declined to comment on the matter.
Director General of the Directorate of Primary Education Abu Noor Md Shamsuzzaman, however, claimed that the primary-level stipend software is running smoothly.
He added, “In rural areas where families use only one mobile phone per household, the SIM card may be purchased in the name of a male member. In such cases, ensuring both a SIM and a mobile financial service account in the mother’s name is challenging.
“Nonetheless, we are working to bring 100 per cent of children under the stipend programme.”
Shamsuzzaman pointed out, “Following the finance ministry’s directive, new children enrolling in school must have a SIM card registered in their mother’s name. The stipend will be disbursed through a mobile financial service account opened in the mother’s name linked to that SIM.”
Students missing school supplies
Guardians of primary school students in Rangamati and Gaibandha districts confirmed to TIMES that they had not received any stipend during the second half of last year (July-December).
A few guardians in the capital reported that stipend for the first half of last year (January-June) was disbursed in July 2025. But a small number of students did not receive that money either, so teachers have asked them to resolve any MFS information-related issues.
Sardar Mahabbat Ali, father of primary student Suraiya Khanam Meghla in Gaibandha, said, “Stipends are necessary to buy children’s exercise books, pens, and school uniforms. A new year has begun, but the delay in stipend disbursement has put my family in a difficult situation.
“We need the money to purchase school supplies for my child.”
Educators warn that the primary purpose of government stipend is to prevent children from dropping out. If the MFS information related issues are not resolved quickly, the future of countless children could be at stake.
Riaz Parvez, headmaster of Gandaria Mohila Samity Government Primary School in the capital, explained the situation saying, “For many families, the mobile SIM is registered in the name of a male family member.
“This has created complications as the children’s mothers do not have SIMs in their own names. However, we are calling them in and facilitating SIM registration in the mothers’ names. Then we update information using the provided software.”
Parvez further informed that as birth registrations for some children in Dhaka South City Corporation several years ago were not on the main server, many children now need to have their births re-registered online.
Verification process underway
According to the Directorate of Primary Education’s Stipend Division, there are approximately 1.16 crore students in government primary schools nationwide. Stipends are being provided to 87 lakh students.
So far, the information for 40 lakh students’ guardians has been verified in accordance with ministry conditions. It is estimated that 20 to 30 per cent of guardians may not have registered both their mobile SIM and MFS account with the same NID.
Further verification is underway to determine whether a student’s mother has a mobile SIM and MFS account opened with her NID, directorate sources say.
Director (Stipend Division) Mirza Md Hasan Khasru of the Directorate of Primary Education told TIMES, “The verification of information for the Khulna, Barishal, Chattogram, and Sylhet divisions is nearly complete.
“Work is underway for Rangpur and Rajshahi divisions. Verification for guardians in Dhaka and Mymensingh divisions will begin soon. The final list for disbursing stipends to students would be prepared by updating relevant information within 10 February.”
Meanwhile, Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education Assistant Director Kamrun Nahar Rima said, “Fifty-four lakh students receive stipends at the secondary level through the Harmonized Stipend Programme. About 8 lakh guardians have MFS-related issues.”
A look into stipend programme
The government provides stipends to students from pre-primary to Class XII who maintain 85 per cent classroom attendance and score a minimum of 40 per cent in annual exams.
A maximum of two students from the same family can benefit from the government stipend. The stipend money is sent to the guardian’s account in two instalments – January to June and July to December.
The first instalment is typically disbursed in July, and the second at the beginning of January each year.
Pre-primary students receive a stipend of Tk75 per month, totalling Tk450 for six months. Students from Class I to Class V at the primary level receive Tk150 per month, totalling Tk900 for six months.
Students of Class VI and VII receive Tk200 per month (Tk 1,200 for six months), Class VIII students receive Tk250 per month (Tk1,500 for six months), Class IX and X students receive Tk300 per month (Tk1,800 for six months), and Class XI and XII students receive Tk400 per month (Tk 2,400 for six months).
Additionally, as a one-time allowance for buying books, Class XI and XII students in the science stream receive Tk1,500, while those in the humanities and business studies streams receive Tk1,000.
For exam fees, a one-time payment of Tk1,000 is given for SSC and equivalent exam form fill-up. For Class XII, science students receive Tk1,500, while humanities and business studies students receive Tk 1,300 to help fill up exam forms.
