DHAKA: One crore twenty five lakh senior citizens will get identity cards beside the recognition as the architect of society and civilization. Academically they are called ‘senior citizen’.

According to work plan very soon they will be getting the cards for facilitating accommodation and employment, transportation and health services facilities. Moreover, for ensuring safety of their lives and properties they will be provided securities through law enforcing agencies.

Member-Secretary of the core committee for implementing the work plan of the Ministry of Social Welfare Hossain Molla told, not only recognition a pilot project is underway to ensure facilities for the senior citizens.

The government is going to implement the arrangements to make the lives of the senior citizens discrimination free and oppression free society. Necessary law will be also made to save the senior citizens from disregard and oppression. Human rights of these citizens irrespective of religion, cast, creed, color and gender will be ensured.

With the strong idea so that these senior people can live a decent life at the fag end of their life, Hossain Molla told. Initially they will be accommodated in the Shishu Paribars(Orphanage) so that they can get a taste of family life among the children. Besides, in the government arrangements there will be separate rooms for them. Gradually in the private arrangements they will be also accommodated in separate rooms.

Initially twelve Shishu Paribars located at divisional headquarters have been selected as pilot projects for accommodation and employment arrangements for them. After the pilot project, phase wise 85 Shishu Paribars and with joint ventures old home or ‘Shanti Nibash’ will be built across the country.
On next April 22 a meeting of the core committee will be held to discuss the work plan. After that meeting within next two months a final report will be placed before the national committee. After that work will start receiving the necessary budget allocation. The allocation will be made on priority basis.

It is learnt from the Social Welfare Ministry that National Professor Dr. M. R. Khan is leading the 10 member core committee as its president. The advisors of this committee are Professor Pran Gopal Dutta, Dr. Enamul Haque and Dr. Atiq Rahman with Mnistry’s Joint secretary as the member-secretary.

Earlier on November 17 of the out going year senior citizen policy was approved and was published in the gazette on last February 11. After the gazette notification the work plan is under finalization process.

In the light of the core committee report the opinion of the stake holders the ensuring of the facilities will be included in the detailed work plan. Next according to the decisions of the national committee the municipality, upazilla and district level committees will make the list of the senior citizens. Giving special priorities to the helpless and sick seniors will be identified.
Who are senior citizens?

To become old is a natural process. The gerontologists identify the old on the basis of their age. According to the UN declaration the people of sixty years and above will be considered as senior citizens in Bangladesh.

The facilities for the senior citizens:

The senior citizens will get recognition and identity card from the state. Simultaneously they will get security of life and property irrespective of religion, cast, creed and gender ensuring discrimination free and oppression free safe environment. Of them the incapable people will get health services on priority basis. The capable people will also get health facilities on priority basis.

Old welfare program:
A special welfare fund will be created through government, non government and voluntary organizations. Old savings scheme will be introduced like defense savings certificates. With the donations from local and international organizations a fund will be created for the welfare of the senior citizens.

Financial security:
In the village and urban areas old age friendly short term and long term savings schemes will be introduced. Arrangements will be made for their employment as per age and capacity. Poverty reduction program will be made available for their dependents. Along side government initiatives the NGO and voluntary organizations will be encouraged for their employment by the government.

Security of life and property:
Government will take special care for saving the life and property of the senior citizens. Their legal rights will be preserved so that they do not become victim of discrimination and oppression. They will be specially protected by the law enforcing agencies.

Care and nutrition:
For the development of seniors’ health services the subject of old people care will be included in the curriculum of medical education and there will be departments for their care in all medical colleges and district level hospitals. This program will be introduced all government and private hospitals.

To take emergency health care the hospitals will be given special allocation along with health access voucher health service card.

Special welfare program: The ultra poor, deprived of opportunities, challenged and physically weak and sick will be identified and the male and female members of families will be also identified. For their help a fund will be created with the help of government, Ngo and voluntary agencies.

Non government organization:
Government will patronize different voluntary agencies for the welfare of senior people. In the policy frame the international donor agencies will be included for building welfare fund for the seniors.
Mode of implementation: A monitoring committee will be constituted with Social welfare Ministry, NGO and persons. This committee will monitor its implementation and evaluation.  For detailed work a separate section will be opened in the concerned ministry. This committee will also evaluate and monitor the program.

The situation prevails in the senior citizens in the country: The number of the senior people is rising with the fall of the death rate. In 1998 their number was 4.98 percent. In 2001 the number increased to 6.98 percent. In coming 2050 A.D. they will be 20 percent of the total population.

BDST: 0927 HRS. APR 17, 2014