Shawdesh Desk:

Speakers at a post-rally discussion stressed the need for ensuring congenial atmosphere everywhere in the society including family for welfare of the elderly people as they are the integral part of the family and the society as a whole.

They viewed that many people become vulnerable when they are in their old ages and face multifarious problems due to various reasons. They are also subjected to repression and oppression in many ways.

To mitigate the odd situation, the society should take the responsibility of protecting them as there is no way to discard their contribution to the field of cultural, economical and political aspects of the country.

District and Divisional offices of Department of Social Services (DSS) and Senior Citizens Welfare Association (SCWA) jointly organized the discussion at conference hall of Bangladesh Shishu Academy to mark the International Day of Older Persons-2019.

Various social and voluntary organizations supported the programme. “The Journey To Age Equality” was the main theme of the day.

Deputy Commissioner Hamidul Haque and local unit president of SCWA Dr Dr Zahurul Haque addressed the meeting as chief and special guests respectively with DSS Divisional Director Sarwar Jahan in the chair.

DSS Deputy Director Rashedul Kabir, Member of National Social Welfare Council Mozammel Haque, former Vice-chancellor of Rajshahi University Prof Altaf Hossain, retired college principal Prof Bodruddoza and Social Service Officer Dr Hamidul Islam also spoke.

The discussants expressed their gratitude to the government for enacting the national policy on elderly persons and called for enforcement of the policy so that the target group can derive maximum benefits out of it.

The government has also declared the elderly people as senior citizens for acknowledging their nation-building contribution.

On the contrary, they said if every son and daughter pays due respect to their parents no aged people would face an unexpected condition.

All conscious people especially the policy makers should obviously feel the importance.