Elder Abuse and Neglect Context and Related Policy-Legal Measures in Bangladesh

Bangladesh, the 8th most populous and a ‘Medium Human Development’ country is advancing rapidly towards an ageing regime with 9.5 percent older persons (60 years and above) in 2023. Information about elder abuse and neglect is almost hidden in the socio-economic and religious-cultural contexts of Bangladesh. Increasing size of older population along with rapidly changing socio-economic milieu is making the situation compound. Scantiness of data and researches has made them more inexplicable and uncertainties loom further.

The objective of this paper is to explore the state of elder abuse and neglect in Bangladesh. It will also explore related policy and legal measures to combat this grime violation. Secondary information, both quantitative and qualitative, would be explored and analysed.

Very few ageing research have addressed elder abuse and neglect issues which are found in alarming numbers in Bangladesh. Older population usually suffers varying level of abuse in accordance with their socio-economic, demographic background. ‘Feminization of human rights violation’ is one of the prominent features of the situation. Among different forms of abuses, abandonment is one of the conspicuous forms which sometimes appears in news media. Despite being shrouded by a ‘culture of silence’, the latent issues of this emerging population are manifested through establishing of new kinds of socio-institutional arrangements. Being an open secret issue with public health, legal, humanitarian implications, it is gradually making its place in policy and legal issues in some direct and indirect ways. The past decade has witnessed the promulgation of the ‘National Policy for Older Persons 2013’ and ‘Parents Care Act 2013’ to ensure over all welfare of the older persons. More information and innovative research are required to explore this sensitive aspect of this vulnerable population.