Int'l Day of Older Persons today

Desk Report: The International Day of Older Persons is being observed in the country as elsewhere across the globe today (Monday).

According to the UN, almost 700 million people are now over the age of 60.

By 2050, 2 billion people, over 20 per cent of the world's population, will be 60 or older.

The increase in the number of older people will be the greatest and the most rapid in the developing world, with Asia as the region with the largest number of older persons, and Africa facing the largest proportionate growth, it says.

The theme of this year's day is "Celebrating Older Human Rights Champions". On December 14, 1990, the United Nations General Assembly voted to establish October 1 as the International Day of Older Persons as recorded in Resolution 45/106. The day was observed for the first time on October 1, 1991.

The day is observed by raising awareness about issues affecting the elderly such as senescence and elder abuse. It is also a day to appreciate the contributions that older people make to society.

Meanwhile, President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina have issued separate messages on the occasion.

"I'm very much delighted to learn that International Day of Older Persons is going to be observed in the country like elsewhere in the world. The senior citizens are respected and honored in society. It is our moral responsibility and duty to ensure comfortable life, sound physical and mental health, respect and honor for our senior citizens," the President said in a message.

The senior citizens have played significant roles in every aspect of personal, social and national life, he added. Abdul Hamid highlighted the present government's different initiatives for the welfare of the elderly people, including old-age allowance and the Welfare Act "the Parents Maintenance Act-2013" which was passed.

In a separate message, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said the older persons or senior citizen are inseparable part of the total population in every country as they are working with much enthusiasm and sincerity to build their own family, society and country.

"It is an obligation for the state, society and also for the families to take necessary steps for taking care and ensure welfare of the senior citizens in the latter part of their lives. Our government is implementing different programmes for the overall welfare of the senior citizens," the Premier said.

Right activists and experts on Saturday sounded a note of warning to not to abuse elderly people of the society as they are country's assets not liabilities.

According to National Human Rights Commission Chairman Kazi Reazul Hoque, "Elderly people are in no way liabilities to society and rather 'our assets' as they carry the experience of the past and pass it on to the new generation." "Bangladesh has enacted the Parents Maintenance Act and has a wonderful national policy for elderly persons that covers everything (aspects) . . .what we need to do is to disseminate and enforce them . . . most importantly we had a social value towards the elderly people which we now need to revive," he said.


risingbd/Oct 1, 2018/Mukul