Bangladesh, An Aging Population
July 2007
Bangladesh is one of the world's most densely populated countries, with its millions of people crammed into a delta of rivers that empty into the Bay of Bengal. The major employer is agriculture, but it is unable to meet the demand for jobs. Many young Bangladeshis seek work abroad which means elderly people are abandoned to look after themselves as their children head overseas..
Bangladesh has the third highest number of poor older people in the world. The majority live in extreme poverty and are forced to carry on working well into their old age in order to survive; often lacking access to healthcare and other basic resources like shelter, food and clean water. Many are also victims of domestic violence; others are forced out of their homes by their children, and have little recourse for justice; yet others suffer from malnutrition. At present it is estimated that the number of people over the age of 60 will have doubled by the year 2015. The Government is therefore being forced to tackle the issue of its rapidly aging population through implementing a program of pensions, one of the first countries in the world to do so.
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Bangladesh, An Aging Population
July 2007
Aisha Begum is 80 years old and a widow. She has still not been able to access a pension and lives off the generosity of her neighbours. She lost her eye in an accident with her husband.
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Bangladesh, An Aging Population
July 2007
Hamida is around 70 years old and nearly blind. She is a widow and lives alone in a small shed, and all of her children have left for India in search of work. She has not yet been able to access a pension and depends on her neighbours for food.
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Bangladesh, An Aging Population
July 2007
Shunda Bala is around 70 years old and nearly blind. Two of her sons have immigrated to India to work, and she lives with the third who is casual labourer but cannot afford to look after her. She has not yet been able to access a pension.
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Bangladesh, An Aging Population
July 2007
Shunda Bala cares for her grandson. “This is all I can do these days because I can barely see. “
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Bangladesh, An Aging Population
July 2007
Shunda Bala washes up in the families kitchen “ I find it hard to do housework now because I don’t have much strength and can hardly see. I feel like I am a burden to my family.”
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Bangladesh, An Aging Population
July 2007
) Chanti Bala is around 80 years old and lives in this small hut alone. Her husband died after a wall fell on top of him and she sold what little land they had to pay for his treatment. Three of her six children are dead and two now work abroad. “I used to be able to collect a widow’s allowance but sometimes I used to go and was told it wasn’t there, so after a while I gave up and started to beg on the streets.”
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Bangladesh, An Aging Population
July 2007
Chanti Bala receives free medical care from RIC (a partner organisation of Helpage International) Most elderly people like her cannot afford medical treatment and it is not free to the elderly in Bangladesh.
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Bangladesh, An Aging Population
July 2007
This is the average meal an elderly person in Bangladesh will eat every day. Most will only eat meat or fish once a month if they are lucky.
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Bangladesh, An Aging Population
July 2007
Shadan Chanedaey is 80 years old. His son has thrown him out of his house, and he now lives in a shed next door that often floods. His son often beats him and refuses to care for him. His daughter in law, behind, tries to provide him with what food she can without her husband knowing.
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Bangladesh, An Aging Population
July 2007
Shadan Chanedaey is 80 years old. His son has thrown him out of his house, and he now lives in a shed next door that often floods. Here he is seen with a photograph of his wife who died several years ago. “I just pray that God will take me soon.”
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Bangladesh, An Aging Population
July 2007
Sidik Ahmed is over 100 years old and lives with his daughter and four grandchildren. He receives a pension each month that he uses to support them. His eldest son has taken over his old house and refuses to assist them.
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Bangladesh, An Aging Population
July 2007
Sidik Ahmed is over 100 years old and lives with his daughter and four grandchildren. He receives a pension each month that he uses to support them. He uses some of his pension to pay for Kerosene so that he can have light in the evening to see, as his eyesight is deteriorating. His eldest son has taken over his house and refuses to assist them.
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