Rights activists demanded a law to be passed for the welfare and social protection of the elderly people in the country.
The demand was made in a webinar organised by Prabin Odhikar Mancha, Bangladesh on Sunday on the occasion of International Day for Older Persons. October 01 is observed as the day across the globe with the pledge to have better world for the elderly people.
Prabin Odhikar Mancha Chairman Kazi Khaliquzzaman Ahmed chaired the event while State Minister of the Ministry of Social Welfare Md Ashraf Ali Khan Khasru addressed the event as the chief guest.
“Currently eight to nine per cent of the total population of Bangladesh is considered to be elderly people and the number of elderly persons is increasing with the country’s average life expectancy.”
The government has taken number of initiatives for the elderly, the state minister said, adding that at present 4.4 million elderly people or senior citizens have been brought under the old age allowance scheme. And in the last 2019-20 fiscal year, the government allocated Tk 26.20 billion as old age allowance alone, he mentioned.
Besides, during the coronavirus pandemic, the government has made an allocation of Tk 3.0 billion for more 0.5 million senior citizens in 112 upazilas, he said urging all to come forward from their respective position to improve the position of the elders and not just depend on the government.
PKSF Chairman Kazi Khaliquzzaman Ahmad said that there is no alternative to social and family values to ensure the rights and dignity of the elderly.
He stressed on the importance of working together for the betterment of the living standards of the elderly as well as the young and old.
He emphasised the importance of health for protection of the elderly as well as the policy for the elderly in Bangladesh.
In 2015, the number of elderly people over the age of 60 years was 901 million in the world which would increase to 1.4 billion by 2030 (16.5 per cent of the world's population).
About 67 per cent of elderly population would be from developing countries, and the elderly population will increase to 2.0 billion by 2050-- which is 21.5 per cent of the total global population.
Bangladesh is currently enjoying a demographic dividend as the 62 per cent of the total population is capable youths who are contributing and accelerating to the economic growth of the country.
But Bangladesh would enjoy this favour till 2035 because the number of working youths will gradually decrease since then and it would impact negatively on the country’s economy, commented participants at the webinar.
The issue of employment of the elderly people also needs to be taken into consideration, they added.
