The cabinet on Sunday approved a draft policy recognising those belonging to the age group of 60 years and above as elderly people. The social welfare ministry placed the draft of the national elderly people policy 2013 at the weekly cabinet meeting with the prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, presiding over at the secretariat. ‘The policy would help ensure poverty-free, safe and respectable life for the elderly people. The 60-year old and those above the age will be regarded as senior citizens from now on,’ cabinet secretary Mohammad Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan told reporters after the meeting.
He said that the senior citizens would be entitled to the benefits and facilities meant for the old.
The number of elderly people in the country like many others is increasing due to rise in overall life expectancy, the cabinet secretary said, adding that the elderly people’s age had been defined in keeping with the United Nations declaration.
He said the elderly people, as per the policy, would get special care at the hospitals and transports.
Mosharraf Hossain said that the government would take initiatives to make sure that the elderly people lead poverty-free, safe and respectable life.
‘More daycare centres and old homes would be established… The government would also introduce savings scheme for the welfare of the elderly people,’ he added.
The cabinet also approved the draft of the International Mother Languages Institute (Amendment), Bill 2013, providing a provision that a representative of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation could be accommodated in the board of the institute set up under a law with assistance from the UNESCO.
The cabinet secretary said that the education ministry proposed the amendment so that the International Mother Languages Institute could enjoy the status of UNESCO’s B category institution and get more technical assistance.
-With New Age input
