Muhith supports raising minimum age of ‘senior citizens’ to 65

Finance Minister AMA Muhith has promised measures to set at 65 the minimum age of senior citizens upon a proposal made by State Minister for Social Welfare Nuruzzaman Ahmed.

People aged above 60 are currently considered senior citizens in Bangladesh and are entitled to special healthcare, accommodation and transport facilities, as per a policy approved in 2013.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal also spoke in favour of Nuruzzaman’s proposal made during a deal-signing ceremony in Dhaka on Monday.

The agreement was penned to set up a medical resort for senior citizens, ‘Oboshor—Amar Anondo Bhubon’, at Moulvibazar’s Sreemangal. Gazi Mohammad Nurul Kabir, Additional Secretary to the Department of Social Services, and Priti Chakraborty, Chairman of the Universal Medical College and Hospital Ltd, signed the deal.

The resort will be built on six acres of land with 100 quarters, a specialised 50-bed hospital, ponds and greeneries, said Priti Chakraborty.

Welcoming the state minister’s proposal, Muhith, the chief guest at the event, said: “We still have one year left in our tenure. I promise you that we will take measures to bring in the change as per your proposal.”

“I am 84, a senior citizen indeed. Senior citizens don’t want people to forget them. We must treat the senior citizens with care and respect,” he added.

Citing the rise in average life expectancy, State Minister Nuruzzaman suggested setting 65 as the minimum age for identifying senior citizens.

Home Minister Kamal suggested raising the minimum age limit to 70.

Kamal is 66 years old while Nuruzzaman is nearly 68 years, according to the parliament website.