Bangladesh is what it is today because of diligence, brilliance and hard work of a segment of the population now being called 'senior citizens' - the aged. This is evident from the sorry state of affairs in all tiers of society following their retirement. But the National Policy for the Elderly Persons, approved by the cabinet with the prime minister in the chair in November last year, is yet to be vetted by the law ministry. Whatever goodwill the present government may harbour towards the aged is being defeated due to bureaucratic procrastination.
The proposed National Policy on Elderly Persons aims at protecting and ensuring the rights and welfare of the elderly people. Under the policy, a person over 60 years will be considered an 'elderly person' and he/she will be recognised as a 'senior citizen'. They will get identity cards and health cards to receive different pubic services, including transport facilities, in phases. A national committee and similar committees at district, upazila and ward levels will coordinate the activities taken for the welfare of the elderly persons. The Bangladesh Association for the Aged and the Institute of Geriatric Medicine observed at a seminar held in Dhaka on April 11 that the problems of ageing are largely being ignored. The seminar urged the government to establish a full-fledged geriatric institution to ensure better healthcare for the aged and to facilitate higher education and training on geriatric. The seminar noted that the rights of the older persons have been recognised and given a legal base in most other countries, but Bangladesh is still lagging behind in this regard. The problem of ageing must be dealt with more seriously in coming days as the ratio of the older people in the total population is increasing.
In fact, ageing is gradually emerging as an issue in Bangladesh which is not separate from social integration, gender advancement, economic stability or poverty. The older section is increasing much faster than the rest of the population. In Bangladesh, 6.9 per cent of the population was classified as elderly in 1950, and is projected to increase to 8.0 per cent in 2020 and 17 per cent by 2050. The ageing index, i.e. the ratio of the people aged 60 years or above to the children less than 15 years of age, might be about 5.7 times higher over the next half century due to the growing number of older persons and decline in young population. Also, the old-age dependence ratio would almost triple between 2000 and 2050, according to a study.
It is sad but true that the elderly people in the country are becoming isolated or alienated from their kindred and, as a result, live alone and face problems on their own. After all, the declining health and physical status of the older people, together with a competitive employment market that discriminates on age, reduce the chances of older people finding well-paying jobs. There is also a mistaken presumption that elderly people are physically inactive, not open to new ideas and unable to participate effectively in economic activities. So, it is time the law ministry vetted the proposed National Policy for the Elderly Persons and parliament enacted the law without any further delay.
Ensuring welfare of senior citizens
FE Team | Published: April 21, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00
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