BANGLADESH: Caring for the aged

DHAKA (THE INDEPENDENT), October 3, 2004:

Observance of the International Day of Older Persons will have meaning if it is translated into a concrete action programme to care for them.

Compared to the Western societies, we have a better tradition of caring for the aged at family level but, whether we like it or not, that tradition is weakening under the stress of an expanding urban culture.

With the modern cities offering better facilities for higher education and opportunities for employment, our rural families have started breaking up leaving the older members clinging to shrinking resources at the village homes.

In her message for the day, Prime Minister Khaleda Zia struck the right cord when she said, "We can frame our future plans giving due consideration to experience, wisdom and knowledge of our older citizens".

Care for the aged should no longer be left to the disappearing tradition of our families but embraced as a state responsibility as is the norm in the Western societies.

The older people should not be regarded as age-stricken citizens fit to be confined to their limited environs. They should be encouraged to be part of a larger field of activities in terms of their talent, wisdom and experience.

Provision should be incorporated in plans and programmes of the government and non-government organizations to make use of their abilities in relaxation of age restrictions, especially in the fields of education and social welfare.

The objective should not be merely to give them a source of income to lead a more decent life but also to let them feel important in the society.

The pension scheme introduced by the government for senior citizens in distress is no doubt a very positive step but its scope and dimension need to be expanded to include all citizens who are retired from regular services early.

In Western countries, citizens beyond the age of sixty or sixtyfive are automatically entitled to old-age pensions and many concessions in tickets for traveling and paying charges for public services. Such facilities make their life easy and more enjoyable.

Old people's homes are run by the state and NGOs to provide comfortable accommodation to those who have no families of their own to live with. The need for establishing such homes in Bangladesh is becoming apparent in large cities like Dhaka and Chittagong.

An initiative by the government can be supplemented by affluent NGOs. We hope our senior citizens are not forgotten after the international day is observed.

(Editorial Feature)