What happened in 2008?

Building on the success of Age Demands Action 2007, a delegation of Bangladeshi older people met with key national level parliamentarians at a round table meeting in Dhaka. Participants included the Secretary for the Ministry of Social Welfare and the Director General for the Department of Social Services.

Also present at the meeting were media professionals and academics who were there to learn more about the difficulties facing older people.

Asks included a commitment from the government to:

• bring a national policy on ageing into effect
  
• increase the Old Age Allowance to 500 taka per month (currently 220 taka).
• give a pension to everyone over 70.

In addition to national level discussions, the delegation met with directors of organisations working directly with older people, and with union representatives in the local area.

As a result of the meetings:

• The Ministry of Social Welfare has agreed to establish a desk on ageing issues within the ministry, and to set up six centres where older people and their dependants may live.
• The Department of Social Services has agreed to appoint three new directors, one of whom will be dedicated specifically to ageing issues. 

Highlights from 2007

Last year our partners, The Resource Integration Centre (RIC), brought a delegation of older people together to meet with national and district level politicians and ministers.

Commitments included:

• An agreeement to expand coverage of existing pension schemes.
• An agreement from the Joint Chief of Health to improve older people's access to primary healthcare through dedicated weekly clinics.

The delegation

Shahabuddin Sarder, 67

Shahabuddin worked on a farm from 1966 until 1971, when he left to fight in the liberation war. After liberation, he worked as administration manager for a public limited company until his retirement in 2002.

Now he is involved with various charities and is actively working with older people. He is the president of Pubail older people's union committee and a member of the national older people's federation committee.

Abdul Mannan Khan

After completing a first degree in science, Abdul worked as a high school teacher.

He was headteacher at Kajirpagla high school from 1963 until 1996, when he established the Moucha Amena Hakim Dakhil Madrasa religious institute.

He is a member of the national older people's committee.

Md Rafiqul Islam, 62

An entrepeneur by nature, Rafiqul started his first business at a young age. Now he is involved with various organisations and actively involved in older people’s programmes.

He is the president of Panchdona older people union committee and a member of the national older people's federation committee.

Sreemoti Pushpo Banik, 62

Sreemoti began her career as a development worker with World Vision for 7 years, and also worked as a nurse for Caritas NGO for 3 years.

After leaving the development sector, Sreemoti worked in a small cottage industry and has trained other older people in income generating activities such as handicrafts.

Sreemoti is currently general secretary of a cooperative credit union and secretary of women's affairs for Nagori older people's union. She is also a member of the national older people's federation.

Shanti Sudha Mitra, 66

Shanti has worked as a social worker for many different organisations. She was president of Nirupoma women's cooperative organisation in 1973 and has had training in leadership skills.

She is very fond of reading books and spends most of her free time with her grandchildren.

Shanti is currently president of the resistance committee against the oppression of women and a member of the national older people's federation.

She has participated in various seminars and consultations on ageing issues at the national press club, and has raised her voice for the rights of older people.

Prafulla Ranjan Baral, 62

Prafulla worked for Local Government Engineering as a sub-assistant officer. Since his retirement he has got involved in social work.

Now Prafulla is president of Sreeramkathi older people's union and a member of national older people's committee.

Abdul Gani Mahmud, 61

Abdul worked in a jute industry of Jesshor for 30 years. Now he is actively involved with older people’s programmes as a member of the national older people's union.