Saleha Begum In Her Age of 70

Time passes by looking into a place of the River Padma where her home and home-land was.  Saleha Begum in her age of 70 memorizes her past; her beloved home where 4 sons, grand sons and daughters were living together. When they were together in home four sons of Saleha could feed and   take care of their widowed mother.   last year mighty Padma has eroded their home and home-land. Three of four sons migrated and become city labourers. Now one son (Abu Salleque) and her old mother are living in a relative’s house. Salleque works as a bonded labourer in other’s house but cannot feed and take care of her mother alone what all 4 bothers could do together. Last year Saleha had Eid together with all sons, daughter in laws, grand sons and daughters but not this year. 3 other sons and their family members could not come back because they don’t have home anymore to stay and celebrate the Eid. When 15 Saleha was married to Solim Mollah; since then 55 years of her life the home she built suddenly took away by the river. In her age of 70 the break of  homes and displacement of her   family members not only created hardship to have her food and other livelihood security but also her mind affected by deep sorrows of missing beloved. Friends of Saleha (as same age as she got) also lost homes and gone elsewhere; she does not have someone to talk to; share her sad feelings. Saleha does not have any idea about what an Old Age Allowance is and what is her rights; whom to claim and how.

During last 5 years only in Habashpur and Bahadurpur unions about 3000 families have been affected and displaced by river erosion. The most affected and vulnerable are the old age male and female. Due to their age, limited mobility and association to raise collective voice tragic problems in the life of old people are not visible to the development actors neither to the politicians. 

 

No denying, some of them are getting   Old Age Allowance 300 Taka (less than 4 US Dollar   a month). There are cases would tell   that elected UP members have taken bribe in selecting OAA recipient.   Although it has been said that as prime rights holder of Old Age Allowance all Old Age person of a ward require to take part in the selection process but in practice no participation.   900 Taka a quarter is little than he/she needs, again it is also a question whether  he/sh could utilize the amount for his/herself or  given to the family.   Health care and access to health care services is almost absent for the old age persons. Feeling of ‘no body cares, disengagement, dishonored and alienation is severe among old age persons. Despite their physical, mental and other vulnerabilities most old age male and female yet does hard work for the need of family.   At the past   Old persons were taken care at the family and community but   due to various socio economic and cultural factors the traditional system is getting weak and weaker. An immediate need is to promote  association of older people and facilitate them to undertake collective actions .