One day, those who held our hands and showed us the way—when it is their turn to walk that path today, are we standing beside them? There is no satisfactory answer to this question.
We say with our lips, “We do not fear adversity; the veterans are with us.” But reality often cruelly mocks these words.
For we have observed that many of those who devoted much of their lives to their families, society, and the state, upon reaching old age, are forced to depend on the mercy of others even for medical treatment, safe shelter, and the most basic care.
Even more painful is the fact that, although there are government initiatives for older people, many of them remain confined to paper or within the walls of buildings.
The 25-bed “Shanti Nibash” in Shambhuganj, Mymensingh, built at a cost of nearly Tk 7 crore, is a tragic example of this. Even nearly three years after construction was completed, the facility has not been opened.
The beds and furniture in the rooms are covered in dust; medical equipment stored in boxes is being damaged by rainwater; the fire extinguishers have expired; and even the electricity connection has been disconnected because of unpaid bills.
Those concerned say the facility could not be opened because there are no staff or budgetary allocations. But were these issues not considered when the project was being planned?
A similar picture of “a building exists, but there is no service” can be seen at the Katiadi Upazila Health Complex in Kishoreganj. From the outside, it is a 100-bed hospital, but inside, it has staffing for only 50 beds.
There is an operating theatre, but surgeries have been suspended for a long time because there are no specialist doctors. There is an X-ray machine, but it is of no use to patients because there is no technician.
There is also an ultrasonography machine, but regular services are unavailable because of a shortage of skilled personnel. In other words, even after spending hundreds of millions of taka on infrastructure, it is not serving the people.
Why should the hard-earned money of the public be left unused or wasted in this way? Who should be held responsible for these shortcomings in planning and management?
The World Health Organization has designated 2021–2030 as the “Decade of Healthy Ageing,” emphasizing age-friendly environments, integrated health care, and long-term care for older people.
Even developed countries are increasingly moving beyond a hospital-centered approach to elderly care and toward integrated systems that bring together families, local communities, housing, health care, and social protection.
We, too, must understand this reality. Building facilities for older people and then keeping their doors locked does not fulfill our responsibility; rather, those doors must be opened and services delivered to the people who need them.
Older people need more than simply a bed or a building. They need regular medical care, long-term support, mental and social assistance, safe housing, and, above all, a life of dignity.
Yet, sadly, the culture of neglect toward the elderly is not an isolated phenomenon in our society. At the beginning of this year, reports emerged that development work at the country’s only government-run hospital for older people had been halted because of a lack of funds.
At the same time, the elderly population of the country is steadily increasing. This, therefore, is not merely a crisis involving one hospital or one residential facility; it is a crisis of our values.
If older people, after contributing to the progress of the workplace, family, society, and state, become victims of disregard and neglect at the final stage of their lives, then what meaning does the development of the state ultimately have?
Caring for older people is not solely the responsibility of the state; it is also our familial and humanitarian duty. We must remember that old age is not a distant destination—we are all travelers on that same road.
The people for whom we are unable to open the doors of a Shanti Nibash today may be the very people whose place we occupy tomorrow. Therefore, the state must immediately adopt a comprehensive and long-term policy for older people.
It is not enough merely to construct buildings for their protection; the effective functioning of every institution must also be ensured. Families and society, too, must act responsibly toward them.
If we cannot ensure the safety and dignity of older people, how can we ever build a “dignified society”?
