A Comparative Study about the Eldercare in our Ethnic Minority Group and about the Eldercare in Bangladesh

Introduction:

Aging is a universal truth for all people. The most challenging stage of life is thought to be old age. A newborn child gradually reaches the age at which they are referred to as "old or elderly". An old person becomes a storehouse of deep wisdom. The elderly are therefore given various services so that they can live in society with dignity. However, they are viewed as a "burden" to some people.

This stage of life is crucial. Due to their physical and mental vulnerability, the older population is less sought-after on the job market and is unlikely to make a significant contribution. With the massive increase in numbers of poverty, Older people are now seen as a burden on their relatives due to their service, in a society that values individualism more and more, and changing values. As a result, they experienced more difficulties as they aged, which was very upsetting. They therefore require additional care during this stage of life.

The Constitution of Bangladesh declares that ‘The State shall take steps to protect and develop the unique local culture and tradition of the tribes, minor races, ethnic sects, and communities' [1]. The population of the world is aging, and so is Bangladesh.

Who are elder people:

There are no universally accepted definitions of ‘elderly.’ Generally, a person nearing or surpassing the average life span of human beings is considered elderly [2]. The World Health Organization (WHO) says that most developed countries have accepted the chronological age of 65 years as a definition of elderly.

According to Mark Gorman, “The aging process is, of course, a biological reality which has its own dynamic, largely beyond human control. However, it is also subject to the constructions by which each society makes sense of old age. In the developed world, chronological time plays a paramount role. The age of 60 or 65, roughly equivalent to retirement age in most developed countries is said to be the beginning of old age. In many parts of the developing world, chronological time has little or no importance in the meaning of old age. Other socially constructed meanings of age are more significant such as the roles assigned to older people; in some cases, it is the loss of roles accompanying physical decline that is significant in defining old age. Thus, in contrast to the chronological milestones that mark life stages in the developed world, old age in many developing countries is seen to begin at the point when active contribution is no longer possible.” Bangladesh has about 15 million people aged 60 and above; by 2050, their number will increase to 36 million (22 percent of the total population) [3].

What does elder care mean:

According to Cambridge Dictionary, Eldercare means 'the care of older people who need help.' Serving the needs and wants of senior persons in any community is known as eldercare. Long-term care, residential care, hospice care, assisted living, adult daycare, and home care are all included.

Source: THE FINANCIAL EXPRESS

Elderly care places a strong emphasis on the social and psychological needs of senior individuals who want to age with dignity yet require support with everyday tasks and medical treatment. The majority of geriatric care is provided without payment.

As there are many different aged care needs and cultural perspectives on the elderly around the world, elderly care encompasses a wide array of techniques and institutions.

 

Ethnic minority group in Bangladesh:

Ethnicity has been defined as: "the social group a person belongs to, and either identifies with or is identified with by others, as a result of a mix of cultural and other factors including language, diet, religion, ancestry and physical features traditionally associated with race [4]." Ethnic minorities are people with ethnic origins different from the majority of the public.

A large number of Bengali ethnic groups have been living in this territory of Bangladesh since ancient times. Most of the ethnic community lives in the hill tract districts and in the plain land districts. Besides, there are many small ethnic groups living there. Garo, Chakma, Marma, Sawtal, Manipuri, Tripura, Munda, and Khasi are among the numerous ethnic groups. These small ethnic groups live in the hilly areas of Chittagong. They also live in Tangail, Rajshahi, Mymensingh, and Natore.

According to Census 2010 and Census 2022, the population of minority ethnic groups in the country is 16 lakh 50 thousand, or 159. Among them, the number of women is slightly higher.

 

Among the 50 ethnic groups, the Chakmas are the largest ethnic group in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. Marma and Tripura are the two ethnic groups of the Chittagong Hill Tracts in second and third position in terms of numbers. In fourth place is the Santal ethnic group of the Plains. There are several ethnic groups in Bangladesh. Some people live on flat land, while others live on hills.

A committee within the Ministry of Cultural Affairs has decided to include those indigenous peoples who were left off the list of "ethnic groups" during the framing of the Small Ethnic Groups Cultural Institution Act of 2010. This issue has been a longstanding demand of indigenous groups. After a series of expert meetings, the committee, headed by the Cultural Affairs Minister, Asaduzzaman Noor, MP, decided to include a total of 50 indigenous groups on the list. This is a major improvement, doubling the number of indigenous groups recognized from 24 to 50.8. This recognition also provides pathways for indigenous peoples who were previously discriminated against when accessing government services. (Indigenous World 2019: Bangladesh)

Here is a list of the locations of ethnic minority groups living in Bangladesh.

SL No	Location	Indigenous Communities
1.	Greater Mymensingh (Mymensingh, Tangail, Netrokona Jamalpur and Sherpur district)	Garo, Hajong, Koch, Barman, Dalu, Hodi, Banai, Rajbangshi
2.	Gazipur	Barman, Garo, Koch, etc.
3.	Coastal Area (Patuakhali, Barguna and Coxsbazar district)	Rakhain
4.	South-West (Jessore, Satkhira, Khulna district etc.)	Bagdi (Buno), Rajbangshi, Santal
5.	Chitagong Hill Tracts (Bandarban, Rangamati and Khagrachari district)	Chakma, Marma, Tripura, Bawm, Pangkhu, Lusai, Tanchangya, Khiang, Mru, Asam, Gurkha, Chak, Khumi
6.	North-Bengal (Rajshahi, Dinajpur, Rangpur, Gaibandha, Noagaon, Bagura, Sirajgonj, Chapainawabgonj, Natore district etc.)	Santal, Oraon, Munda, Malo, Mahali, Khondo, Bedia, Bhumij, Kole, Bhil, Karmakar, Mahato, Muriyar, Musohor, Pahan, Paharia, Rai, Sing, Turi
7.	Greater Sylhet (Sumangonj,	Monipuri, Khasia, Garo, Hajong, Patro,

This information is collected from Bangladesh: Indigenous/Tribal Population and Access to Secondary Schools (Draft) published by the World Bank.

National Standard to protect and promote Ethnic people:

Bangladesh is a multifaceted, multi-communal nation. Tribal, ethnic minorities, ethnic groups, and other distinctive regional cultures and traditions have opportunities to be preserved and developed under Article 23A of the Constitution of the Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh. Indigenous peoples and other ethnic groups are frequently marginalized and have their rights violated throughout the world.

Indigenous peoples and other ethnic groups are frequently marginalized and have their rights violated throughout the world. Communities continue to fight for recognition, respect, and support from their governments and fellow citizens for their culture, traditions, customs, language, and existence. There are ongoing discussions about indigenous peoples and ethnic groups in many different countries. The Bangladeshi government is, however, taking a constructive approach in this area. To put an end to the argument over whether Bangladesh's tribal groups are Indigenous or Ethnic Groups, the United Nations Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh and the Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs independently issued directives. Its primary goal is to promote inclusive development in all spheres of the country [5].

International Standard to protect and promote ethnic people:

Important guidelines for the protection of minorities' rights are also provided by general UN human rights treaties. It should be remembered that individuals belonging to minority groups have the same rights as those guaranteed by all UN human rights conventions. Eight human rights treaties have created committees to monitor how their work is being carried out:

ICCPR - International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (Human Rights Committee)

ICESCR - International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights)

ICERD - International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination)

CRC - Convention on the Rights of the Child (Committee on the Rights of the Child)

CAT - Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (Committee against Torture) 

CEDAW - Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women)

ICRMW - International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and their Families (Committee on Migrant Workers)

CRPD - Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights and Dignity of Persons with Disabilities (Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities)

Two of these UN treaties contain minority-specific provisions:

The UN Declaration on Minorities is based on and inspired by Article 27 of the ICCPR, which is the most widely acknowledged legally binding provision on minorities. Read Article 27:

“In those States in which ethnic, religious or linguistic minorities exist, persons belonging to such minorities shall not be denied the right in community with the other members of their group, to enjoy their own culture, to profess and practice their own religion, or to use their own language.”

Article 30 of CRC provides a similar standard for minority children:

“In those States in which ethnic, religious or linguistic minorities or persons of indigenous origin exist, a child belonging to such a minority or who is indigenous shall not be denied the right, in community with other members of his or her group, to enjoy his or her own culture, to profess and practice his or her own religion, or to use his or her own language.”

Given the wide ratification of the ICCPR and the CRC, every state in the world has a legally binding obligation to protect minority rights based on its voluntary commitments under international law.

The work of treaty monitoring bodies including the Human Rights Committee (HRC), the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC), and the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) also provide valuable sources of expertise.

Problems faced by ethnic elders:

The elderly people of our ethnic community face various kinds of problems. Problems related to physical illness, disabilities, loneliness, economic problems, social discrimination, and so on can be classified into five types. Those are:

1. Physical illness;

2. Mental illness;

3. Economic insufficiency;

4. Social problems;

5. Others.

1. Physical illness:

 

The elderly face the most difficulties when it comes to health issues. The elderly mostly suffer from weakness, failing eyesight, hearing loss, high blood pressure, obstructive pulmonary symptoms, diabetes, heart diseases, bone and joint pain, and other age-related illnesses, including dementia and Alzheimer’s disease [6]. According to a survey in Sylhet division among 400 indigenous older people, most of them (79.5%) had a chronic disease, with visual difficulty being predominant (74%) among the conditions. Almost all (94%) of the respondents experienced delays in receiving treatment, and poverty was identified by most (85%) as the primary cause of those delays [7]. Elderly indigenous men are more prone to bad health and a miserable quality of life. They frequently exhibit poor health literacy and poor health-seeking behavior and have limited access to social and health support.

Distribution of chronic conditions of indigenous older adults with their level of severity [8].

 

It is extremely difficult for older ethnic people to obtain adequate health care. As we all know, the majority of ethnic minority groups in Bangladesh live in hill tract districts. Most of the time, they have to go a long way to get health services. They even aren’t able to get health services when it is an emergency for them. The main cause for the physical problems can be:

• Ageing;

• Reduce your body's resistance;

• High cost of treatment;

• Economic insolvency;

• Lack of proper medical and family care;

• Absence of adequate health facilities for the elderly.

 

2. Mental illness:

 

Mental health is one of the major parts of a human's life. The man, when he becomes old, faces this problem. They spend their final part of life in a lonely bunker. Lack of proper entertainment in old age is the main cause of it. The mental health of a man is related to all the circumstances of his life. Mental illness in humans is caused by physical disabilities, financial problems, social or other discrimination. This is especially true for ethnic older people. There may be some other reasons for being mentally unstable, like:

• No attachment to family members;

• Loneliness;

• Died of a spouse;

• Staying away from relatives;

• Lack of elder-friendly environments in society etc.

An elderly Chakma woman (Source: Nature Morte)

3. Economical insufficiency:

 

The tribal older people suffer a huge economic problem. In the later part of their life, they generally be able to do work. As most of them are day laborers, they face economic problems.

“We Santals face poverty as the main problem. Because of that, we can’t get a good education. Those who are slightly more educated have a job; they can educate their children even if it is only slightly more than themselves. But the others can’t.” A Santals woman from Rajshahi [9].

As we see in the chart, the poverty rate in Chittagong Hill Tract (CHT) Indigenous and Tribal Peoples (ITP) is almost three times higher than the national poverty level and in the case of plain land ITP, the poverty rate is 80% which is higher than the CHT ITP. Only 20% of people of plain land ethnic minority groups live beyond the poverty level.

In a report of Prothom Alo, a 70-year-old chakama man named Amrit Ranjan Chakma from a village in Dighinala had to walk with the help of a stick since his right leg was broken in a road accident in 2019.

Amrita Ranjan Chakma (Source: Prothom Alo)

Amrit Ranjan Chakma is unable to do any other work due to difficulty in walking. So forced to sell fried almonds on a footpath. His wife Shukrapudi Chakma (60) also sells nuts to earn their livelihood [10].

There are some causes of economic problems for an older man from an ethnic community. Those are:

• Retirement from job;

• There is no fixed income source;

• Physically unfit for work;

• Less education;

• Don’t get support from descendants.

• Absence of a strong social security system.

4. Social problems:

 

The ethnic people living in Bangladesh have also faced social discrimination. Thoai Aung Prugri Marma (70) was killed by miscreants in the Kaptai upazila of Rangamati on 30 August 2021. Prugri Marma used to earn his living by farming. According to local sources, on Monday afternoon Prugri Marma was going home after farming. On the way, miscreants fired at him. He was killed on the spot [11]. Lack of security in social life causes this murder.

Social safety nets (Source: The Independent )

‘Many Bengalis say that we are not Bangladeshi. We are outsiders,’ A GARO MAN [12]. This quote proves that the ethnic minority people face discrimination in their social life by the mainstream Bengali. The problems regarding the social life of an ethnic older person are:

• Mass poverty;

• Rapid socio-economic transformation;

• Influence of Western culture;

• Lack of advantage in their community compared to the larger community;

• Discriminatory treatment from the larger community of the society. 

5. Others:

 

Besides physical disabilities, mental illness, and social and economic problems an older man in an ethnic community faces some other problems too. These problems are separated from one to one. Such as domestic violence in one’s family, communal attacks, not getting proper respect from the larger community, deprivation from social advantages compared to others, etc.

Findings from three ethnic minority groups in Bangladesh about eldercare:

The findings are discovered on the basis of ten questions. We want to get some conception of the practical eldercare situation of these minority groups. The questions are given below. The questions are:

1. What is the status of the elderly compared to other members of the family?

2. What is the social status of the elderly in society?

3. What government facilities are there for the older?

4. Does any private organization work with the elderly? Name and work of the organization

5. What disadvantages or discrimination do the elderly face in society?

6. What steps do you say the government needs to take to improve the quality of life of the elderly?

7. What are the odds of getting medical care?

8. Whether or not elderly people receive benefits such as old age allowance or old age home?

9. Are the elderly and widowed women victims of deprivation? How about?

10. What further steps do you think can be taken in elderly care?

 

• Findings from Chakma tribal:

 

We asked these questions to a Chkama boy named Ajay Chkama. According to him, the status of elderly people in the Chakma family and society is quite good compared to others. It is primarily determined by an individual Chakma family's lifestyle and aspects. The old-age allowance is also given to the elder Chakma people by the government. Homeless men also get help from the Ashrayan Project of the Bangladesh government.

A Chakma woman waving a Saree.

However, according to him, he has not seen any activities of any organization working for the elderly men. They face difficulties during a health emergency because of the transportation system and the lack of a health care center. They receive an old-age allowance and, if necessary, the services of an old-age home. The elder men of the Chakma community are treated almost identically to Bengalis. Their way of life is very similar to that of Bengalis.

• Findings from Munda tribal:

 

To learn about the practical situation of elderly people of the Munda ethnic community, we talked with ‘Nitai Munda’ from Satkhira district. According to him, the Munda people treat their elder person very well. The elderly person gets respect and honor from others except for some different incidents. The poor elderly people also get an old age allowance and occasionally get government rice from Local Union Parishad. But there is no organization that works for the benefit of only elderly people. In the case of a person who has none in the world or women who have been abandoned by their husbands, there is no old age home for them.

A Munda tribe waving net (GCE)

In fact, many people look down on women who have been abandoned by their husbands and society blames that woman saying not having good character or behavior.

According to ‘Nitai Munda’, to make life better for the elderly people in their community, the Confirmation of an old age allowance card for the elderly is must need as some elder person doesn’t get that for some unknown reason. Love and respect for old people is the demand of the present society. Print and electronic media are effective in raising awareness among people to increase respect, honor, and love for elders.

• Findings from Marma tribal:

 

‘Ealy Marma’ is a girl from the ‘Khagrachari’ district. We showed these questions to her and asked for his answer about the eldercare in her community. She tells us that, like the common Bengali community, Marma people respect and honor their elders. Family elders are treated with special respect. Their opinions are given precedence in matters of importance. Senior citizens receive government benefits such as pensions or old-age allowances. But they do not get old-age home benefits in case of special circumstances. Also, they have to travel fast enough to get medical services in remote areas because the transportation system is not good and the health care center is remote enough in certain areas.

A Marma Tribe (Source: Al Jazeera)

Women in society who are abandoned by their husbands or widows face deprivation in some cases. Although there is a provision for widow's allowance, many do not get it. There are no significant non-governmental organizations working with the elderly in these areas. In fact, older people have to go out to work to support their families and get rid of the family’s economic crisis. They have to work hard instead of getting care in old age.

Apart from getting rid of these social deprivations, they expect all public and private facilities to improve the quality of life of the elderly.

Overall Situation of Elder Care in Ethnic Minority Groups:

In our country, there are some kinds of ethnic minority groups. Most of the older people in Bangladesh, including those older people of tribal communities, suffer from basic human needs like mainstream elders, such as neglect, exclusion, deprivation, poverty, proper health, and access to medical facilities.

Indigenous communities have their own culture, tradition, and way of life. Although the younger generations of these groups still uphold positive attitudes towards their elders, However, ethnic elders face challenges in obtaining the necessary medical care and facilities. Agriculture is primarily important to ethnic minority groups. Their traditional agricultural procedures are different from mainstream agriculture procedures. Nowadays, land scarcity is very high. Their economic circumstances change over time. The government constructs tourist attractions, hotels, and motels in the hillside area for development purposes, affecting their lifestyle and economic conditions. As a result, elders come to meet their basic needs and assist their descendants, who are discovered to be engaged in small business, hotel work, selling wood, and vegetable farming. Some of them work as tourist guides or security guards at hotels or motels. They try to earn until they are physically capable.

The traditional situation of elder care in Bangladesh:

In Bangladesh, anyone over the age of 60 is considered old. But many people in this country become older well before 60 because of poverty, inability, illness, hard work, before 60 because of poverty, inability, illness, hard work, malnutrition, and rapid urbanization.

Traditionally, the son is to take responsibility for food, shelter, and maintenance for their parents, as well as take care of the other elderly members of their family. Due to their economic conditions, they are not able to meet their basic needs. In rural and slum areas, older people engage in begging to meet their own and their families' needs.

The increasing burden of ‘elderly’ in Bangladesh. (Source: The Daily Star)

Due to the fourth industrial revolution and increasing living costs in rural and urban areas, both men and women are employed. Where parents are employed, older people play an important role in caring for grandparents and other family members. Older people are treated as important advisors in the family and often ask for advice during major events.

 

But now, modern society has failed to maintain the dignity and honor of the elders. This may be attributed to various reasons like individualistic attitudes, instability of family structures, devaluation of dignity, differences in income, and other social problems.

The root cause of elderly vulnerability:

The ethnic elderly people are sometimes abused by the community and also by family members. Because of the rise in small families, they are increasingly living in a house corner. Elderly people now are often living in isolation as other family members are busy with their own businesses and do not have enough time to spend with them. As a result, they feel lonely and feel that they have become a burden on the family. They have no standing in the family. It causes emotional problems and mental breakdowns, which are harmful for them.

In Bangladesh, our joint family traditions are breaking down, which also changes elder care patterns. Rapid urbanization, technology, our mentality, our way of life, and many other factors all change norms and values, making the elderly more vulnerable. They are all unable to cope with the world's difficulties.

NGO’s activities for elderly people :

There are various organizations that are starting to work with elderly people to develop their lives and make their life more happier. Bangladesh Association for the Aged and Institute of Geriatric Medicine (BAAIGM) is the pioneer national organization that provides a comprehensive care service including residential and healthcare facilities for the welfare of the elderly people in Bangladesh [13]. Young Power in Social Action (YPSA) is one of them. In 2010, YPSA launched an elderly care and support program in the southeastern part of Bangladesh.

YPSA elderly care and support activities: Sitakund Model

The project targeted remote coastal rural areas for piloting purposes. They implemented some projects for elderly people, like - a lifestyle development program for elderly people; providing health care to elderly people; elderly people’s allowance; supporting older; people with income generating activities; forming a committee of elders at village, ward, and union levels; developing a social centre for older people; funeral prayers for elderly people; encouraging young people and their family members of take care of elderly people etc [14]. If they start doing this work with the ethnic elderly people, it will help to improve the life of ethnic elder people.

Wapping Bangladesh Association (WBA) is also an organization that is working with the aim of the service to provide a befriending and support service to Bangladeshi and other ethnic minority elderly people, valuing their specific cultural, religious, and language needs. In order to meet the diverse needs of this vulnerable group of people. The Association provided specialized services focused on their recreational and social development, helping to improve the health and diet of older people through a luncheon club and tackling physical health problems through complementary therapy services [15].

 

Laws, Policies, and Schemes in Bangladesh for elderly people:

There is no specific laws, policies, or scheme of government for the ethnic minority elderly people. The laws, policies, and schemes that are applicable to all elderly people of Bangladesh are also applicable to the ethnic older people. The Bangladesh government introduced laws, schemes, and policies from time to time for elderly people. Those are applicable to all citizens and within the territory of Bangladesh. Now we discuss about five of them. Those are:

1. National Health Policy

2. Pensions Scheme

3. Old Age Allowance Program

4. National Policy on Older Person, 2013

5. Maintenance of Parents Act, 2013

 

1. National Health Policy:

 

A national health policy is a policy in which the government ensures the health of the national people and provides health services that the government is required to provide. The government has many policies in place to provide health services to people, but this policy specifically states that every citizen has the right to basic health care [16]. As a result, these ethnic minorities are also citizens of Bangladesh, and they have the same rights as Bengalis. Nothing is said in this national health policy about the health of any ethnic minority people, and nothing is said about the health of older ethnic minority people, but it is said about citizen health care, so they can get those rights as citizens. They can include ethnic elders' health care in this national health policy because they are older and require extra care.

2. Pension Scheme:

 

Pension is for only older people. When a person does a job in a government office, the government takes a little money from the person's monthly salary, and when the person turns old, that money is given with interest for old age. When a person reaches old age, he or she is unable to work properly due to the old age problem. In Bangladesh, 60-year-olds are considered old age, and when they retire from their jobs at that age, they receive a government pension. There are two types of pensions in Bangladesh:

1. Contributory 

2. Social pension [17].

 

In Bangladesh, ethnic minority people also do government jobs, and after retirement, they also get the same pension as Bengali people. When a person becomes elderly, he or she requires care and financial assistance, and the pension assists that elderly person. As citizens, ethnic minority people can work for the government and receive pensions, and as citizens, people receive another pension.

3. Old Age Allowance Program:

 

Old age allowance means that when an old person is poor, has no financial help from family, has no security for nutrition, and also has family members who do not respect that person, that person becomes neglected and deprived of many rights. As a result, the government implements pensions for the elderly. An elderly person will receive proper care from family, and extra care, and will be financially stable as a result of this allowance [18]. In Bangladesh, that allowance was implemented by the government in 1998 and gradually increased; many elderly people receive it, and their rights to it are also protected [19]. As citizens of this country, elder ethnic minority people get this allowance from the government, but the government doesn’t mention any extra allowance for elder ethnic minority people and has not said any specific word for these people. As senior citizens, elder ethnic minority people receive old age allowances from the government on a regular basis.

4. National Policy on Older Person, 2013:

 

That policy is made for old people of this country who are citizens of this country and aged above 60 [20]. The national policy is that an old person needs public transportation, residential establishments, and separate healthcare, but that is not properly implemented in our country. When a person becomes elderly, they require additional care, which the government must provide. The government creates policies for the elderly, and their rights are mentioned; the goal of the policy is to ensure that the elderly have a respectful, poverty-free, active, healthy, and safe social life. The elderly person needs priority and older-friendly construction of roads, public vehicles, recreation for the seniors, priority in utility services, extra benefits in saving schemes, and proper nutrition of the elderly. These needs have been neglected in the policy, which could make the elders' lives more secure and comfortable [21]. Elderly ethnic minority people are also citizens of Bangladesh, and as such, they have the rights and policies that come with citizenship, but there is no mention of the needs of the elder ethnic minority group in this policy. If they state that they require it because they are minorities, as well as because minorities who are elderly in this group require special care, So, as senior citizens of the country, ethnic minority elders benefit from all of that.

5. Maintenance of Parents Act, 2013

 

The Maintenance of Parents Act 2013 is a law for elderly parents. When parents are elderly, they require financial and emotional support from family, as well as care from family, but many do not receive this and are denied their rights, which is why this law is effective for these elderly parents. This law is not being properly enforced because most people in our country are unaware of it, and most parents do not want their sons harassed. Because this law applies to all of Bangladesh, ethnic minorities are also citizens of Bangladesh and must follow this law as such. This law makes no mention of elderly ethnic minority people, but they must follow it as citizens. In my opinion, that group of people and their lifestyle, which differs from that of Bengali elders, must be mentioned in this law. So, all of that is in this law; it does not mention ethnic minorities, but as citizens, they are also subject to it and must follow it. That law is effective and applicable for all of Bangladesh and also for older ethnic minorities in Bangladesh.

All ethnic minorities in Bangladesh are citizens, and as such, they have the same rights as Bengalis. As a citizen, all national policies and laws for elders are for all senior citizens in Bangladesh who are permanent residents of the country. All older ethnic minority people can obtain all of their rights as citizens, as well as the benefits of policy and law. These people must be aware of the policies and laws, and if they are unaware of them, they will not be able to obtain those benefits and rights; they should also be aware that they can obtain these rights as citizens. All older ethnic minority people get health policy benefits, old age allowances, and other benefits as citizens, but in all of that, nothing is specifically said about those people.

Besides these sometimes the government and local government took some steps to develop elderly people's lives. Such as, in a recent program organized by the District Social Service Office of Naogaon and financed by the National Social Welfare Council, 146 elderly people in the ethnic minority group got a one-time grant to improve the quality of their lives [22]. These kinds of programs are continued by local government. But there is no certainty of these. It totally depends on certain circumstances of the local government.

 

Recommendation:

In the whole discussion, we see that the elder people in our ethnic minority group don’t get proper care. They are deprived of proper health care services, government allowance, and other benefits.

The elderly deserve the best care possible so that they can live out their final days in dignity, with the utmost security, and with respect. The government should use creativity in this situation to introduce new and revised laws, policies, schemes, and programs for the benefit of the elderly population.

Aside from legal rights, it is a natural human right for a person to receive proper care, whether he is a child, young, or old. The family, relatives, society, and government are directly or indirectly liable to ensure proper elder care services for a man when he becomes old. The larger community and the ethnic community both have similar rights. But the ethnic elderly need more support when they become old.

To ensure proper eldercare in our ethnic minority group, here are some recommendations from us:

I. The government has to determine a minimum age limitation to identify a person as elderly.

II. The government can make some special laws for the elderly ethnic people's benefit.

III. Because there are no schemes for the elderly other than the old-age allowance, the government should create one.

IV. The elderly are mostly afflicted with various diseases, and the transportation system in the region where ethnic people live is inadequate, so the government should establish a health care center in that area for them. so that they can get health care services easily and at a minimum cost.

V. There is no specific government department to investigate violations of the rights of ethnic elderly people; the government should introduce this kind of department for the advancement of elderly care services for the ethnic minority group.

VI. The government should establish old age home services in areas where ethnic people live so that elderly ethnic people can find shelter in old age if they are separated from their families and have no one to care for them.

VII. A public awareness program should be introduced among ethnic people for eldercare focusing on the importance of health and hygiene.

VIII. Family members should give respect and honor to their elder person of the family.

IX. NGOs should focus on elderly people about their advancement in life.

 

X. To keep older ethnic people away from loneliness, engagement in proper entertainment is needed.

XI. Govt should focus more on the widowed as they haven’t their spouses. They aren’t able to get financial and mental support also society sees them as a curse.

 

Conclusion:

The situation of older minorities in Bangladesh is a human rights issue. The status of older minorities all over the world has demonstrated a pattern of discrimination and insecurity. Bangladesh is no exception. However, the example of elder minorities in Bangladesh has a typical trend [23].

The state's failure to acknowledge the rights of older minorities and the existence of older minorities portrays Bangladesh as being dominated by Bengali Muslims, which reduces the space for minorities to exist as distinct communities with their own customary rights, beliefs, cultures, and ways of life. On the other hand, older minorities are vulnerable due to laws and provisions that favor the majority, especially in the context of rising communalism and a deteriorating law and order situation. Only by removing discriminatory clauses from the national Constitution and other laws can minority rights be upheld. Elderly minority communities should be given a sincere voice in all state affairs.

The structures of the modern system and majoritarian democracy, which have resulted in the dehumanization of politics and transformed people into vote banks and vote constituencies, contain the seeds of violence against the minority community. The state apparatus's lack of transparency and accountability only makes the situation worse. Bangladesh should acknowledge the diversity of its people and culture. Without a doubt, civil society has the biggest and most crucial role to play in this situation. A politically and morally aware populace can best protect its own security by pressuring the government to become democratic and people-centered [24].

Plainland ethnic groups live in remote areas of Bangladesh and are politically marginalized. These groups face prejudice, difficult living conditions, failing government services, and land dispossession built on historical discrimination. With limited representation at the local and national level, plainland ethnic groups have few voices to advocate on their behalf. International and domestic NGOs should continue to press for the rights of the Plainland ethnic community and assist Bangladesh’s ethnic minorities in finding ways to advocate for themselves [25].

So we must practice a culture of tolerance and respect for others. Bangladesh was built up with the sacrifice of unlimited amounts of blood from different elder minority communities too. The religious and different ethnic minorities have contributed and participated in their own way towards building up the country. Their contributions and sacrifices during the war of liberation also need to be recorded and acknowledged in our national history.

Limitations of the study:

To complete the assignment, we face some limitations. Firstly, due to insufficiency of time, funding, and other factors, we weren’t able to go to the ethnic community for field-level research and get the statements of elderly people. Secondly, the lack of previous research studies on the topic of eldercare in our ethnic minority group affects whether we get enough information about that. Thirdly, the lack of specific data and information and limited access to these respondents influenced our study badly.

With these limitations in mind, we tried our best to complete this assignment. We conducted interviews with ethnic people because we were unable to conduct research. Their information helps to make this assignment more attractive. But it would be good if we could do field research using this methodology. 

Bibliography:

1. The Constitution of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh

2. The Daily Star, ‘INTERNATIONAL DAY OF OLDER PERSONS: The increasing ‘burden’ of the elderly in Bangladesh.

3. Eva S: Rights of Elderly in Bangladesh Present scenario and future directions (The New Nation)

4. Ethnic minorities: defining ethnicity and race Ethnicity (ScotPHO) <https://www.scotpho.org.uk/health-wellbeing-and-disease/cancer-breast/key-points/>

5. Editorial, ’Senior Citizen in Health Policy.’ < https://www.newagebd.net/article/179445/senior-citizens-in-health-policy>

6. Rahman F N, ‘Health and wellbeing of indigenous older adults living in the tea gardens of Bangladesh’ (NIH) <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/>

7. Macdonald G: The Challenges Facing Plainland Ethnic Groups in Bangladesh: Land, Dignity, and Inclusion <https://www.iri.org/resources/new-bangladesh-report-examines-needs-of-plainland-ethnic-groups/>

8. https://www.banglanews24.com/national/news/bd/876951.details

9. Md. Ismail Hossain, Tahmina Akhtar, and Md. Taj Uddin, ‘The Elderly Care Services and their Current Situation in Bangladesh: An Understanding from Theoretical Perspective’. Science Alert. https://scialert.net/fulltext/doi=jms.2006.131.138#:~:text=Bangladesh%20Association%20for%20the%20Aged,the%20elderly%20people%20in%20Bangladesh.

10. YPSA elderly care and support activities: Sitakund Model < https://ypsa.org/ypsa-elderly-care-and-support-activities-sitakund-model/>

11. Bangladeshi Elder Project. (WBA) https://www.wappingbangladeshassociation.org.uk/bangladeshi-older-peoples-project-men-

12. Faisal Zaki, ‘Government Mainstreaming Ethnic Communities for Inclusive Development’ (The Daily Sun, 10th August 2022).

13. National Health Policy 2011.

14. Pension Insights: Is a universal scheme an option for Bangladesh? <https://policyinsightsonline.com/2018/07/pension-insights-is-a-universal-scheme-an-option-for-bangladesh/ >

15. Department of Social Services

16. The National Policy on Older Persons, 2013

17. The legal aspects of social safety of senior citizen in Bangladesh<https://www.academia.edu/48923785/The_Legal_Aspects_of_Social_Safety_of_Senior_Citizens_in_Bangladesh >

Written By---
Tarek Bhuiyan, Asadul Islam, Rakibul Islam & Mahmuda Ahmed
Department of Land Management & Law
Jagannath University, Dhaka