THE number of elderly people in our country is increasing and currently those who are above 60 years of age constitute around 8.0 per cent of our total population. The number of elderly people will be around 20 per cent by 2050. Our society is moving ahead and the number of joint families is decreasing. In many families, the elderly people are leading a neglected life spending their time alone in distress.
I know many well-to-do families where children are living abroad and their parents in Bangladesh are living at the mercy of domestic aids. Usually, women in old age face more uncertainty and loneliness, as they do not often go out and spend their time in isolation. Everyone is busy and nobody has time to spare for them. They feel a kind of gloom and apathy towards their surroundings. We hardly have the time to go to and enquire about the welfare of our elderly relatives. They naturally feel neglected and dejected. We should not forget that every one of us will grow old and will have to face up to similar circumstances. Therefore we must be caring and understanding towards our elderly relations. We must create and establish an elderly-friendly society.
Imran Aziz
Niketon, Gulshan
Dhaka
- Thursday, 18 April 2024 |
- Today's FE |
- e-Paper |
- Beta Website
