54.5 pc elderly people face torture in home
University Correspondent
banglanews24.com
DHAKA: 54.5 percent of the elderly people of the country are being tortured in many ways by their own family members, says a survey report.
According to a report of Dhaka University (DU), they are being tortured by their close family members and relatives like son, daughter, daughter-in-law, grand son and grand daughter. Even sometimes by their spouse.
The disclosure came from a seminar titled ‘Abuse against Older People within the Family among Urban Poor in Dhaka City’ at the senate building of DU on Thursday.
The seminar was jointly organized by Population Science Department and Helpage International Bangladesh.
While presenting the key note, project director of Population Science Department professor Dr. AKM Noor-un-Nabi said, “Some 88.4 percent old people are being neglected, 83.3 becomes prey of mental torture, 54.5 percent faces physical torture while 54.4 percent are deprived of economical rights.”
“Both the men and women are becoming the prey of family torture in old age. But, women are the major victims of the practice,” he added.
He informed that the total number of elderly people, aged 60 years and above, is 1 crore, which is 6.5 percent of the total population. The number will be 4 crore by 2050.
Putting stress on taking national initiative by involving the large number of old people in social, economical and cultural activities, he said, “It will reduce the torture incidents, increase GDP and develop the social- economical condition of the country.”
The survey was conducted three residential areas in the city.
BDST: 1136 HRS, SEP 06, 2012
Edited by: Maria Salam, Asst Output Editor