Muhammad Atiqur Rahman :
The United Nations International Day for Older Persons (UNIDOP) is being celebrated with theme of “Celebrating Older Human Rights Champions” in 2018. Like other UN member states, Bangladesh also celebrates this day on October 1 every year to ensure proper respect for elderly people and overcome their problems through various public and private programs.
The ultimate, inevitable, and normal phase of human life is the old age. Since birth people enjoy in step-by-step his life cycle i.e. childhood, adolescence and youth. Then, as an integral part of this life the old age is come, except for those who die before they become mature. Old age is a normal process of life, at this time; the elderly people are facing problems like mental, physical, family, social, financial, moral and cultural insecurity.
In the industrialized countries of the world 56 years old aged people is considered as elderly people. But in Bangladesh people 60 years and above is recognized as senior citizens in accordance with the National Policy on Older Persons-2013. In the global context, the number of elders in Bangladesh is rapidly increasing.
At present, this number is about thirteen million which is about 8 percent of the total population. According to UN statistics, the number of elderly people in the country will grow to 17.62 million in 2025, which is 11 percent of the total population. According to the World Health Organization, if the population is 10 to 12 percent of the total population, then the population is considered an old population.
Accordingly, the population of Bangladesh will be marked as ‘old age’ population by 2025. The government has taken several steps to implement the rights of the elderly including special steps for the older people in the ‘Constitution of Bangladesh’; Parents care act-2013 and National Policy on Older Persons-2013 and old age allowance programme.
Along with the government, Aged International Bangladesh, Rick, and non-government organizations are working to address the problems of senior citizens. In spite of various government and non-governmental initiatives, this trend of growing the old population of Bangladesh is a huge challenge which is hard to deal with. In many cases, the government and the private sector have taken various measures to overcome the problems of the elderly in Bangladesh, but the consequences of corruption, nepotism, transparency, accountability, lack of religious instruction they are not getting the benefit.
It is noteworthy that 90 percent of the total population of Bangladesh is Muslim, so it is possible to establish the rights and security of the older persons in Bangladesh through the state steps as well as complete following the religious guidance. Islam is completely human and welfare-based life-style.
Fourteen hundred years ago Islam has given universal security to all older persons by establishing rights and social status. In order to implement that objective target and purpose, the rules given by Islam will play an important role in establishing the rights and dignity of the elders.
For the development of the lives of the older people and build sustainable Bangladesh in 21st century, ensure the recognition and psychological support, established of inter-generation communication and solidarity; take necessary actions for the development of the health services of the elders, to provide protection and support on priority basis during the disaster period and create employment opportunities for them.
(Muhammad Atiqur Rahman, Senior Lecturer, Department of Islamic Studies, Uttara University).
