Provisions and rights of senior citizens

Due to the improved quality of life in Bangladesh, people now live longer. There is a sizeable ageing population in the country today and the number of people over 60 years of age is increasing rapidly. This should be seen as an emerging challenge as the elderly will have special needs and require different care-giving services.

Many elderly persons are neglected by their own children, who remain overburdened by their professional responsibilities. Meanwhile, there are insufficient seats in old homes to accommodate these senior citizens in need of care. We need to train and provide a larger number of caregivers for them.

Even the Parents Care Act 2013 has several disparities regarding the amount of money to be allocated to elderly citizens. The act needs to be implemented more stringently and efficiently. The concerned authorities should build more old homes and ensure that safety and maintenance standards are up to par. The private sector can also help by offering them appropriate job opportunities with decent income.

Zubair Khaled Huq

By email