Bangladesh, Oct. 2 -- Bangladesh now has around 16.5 million people aged 60 and above, but the country's institutional support for its rapidly growing elderly population remains strikingly limited.

On the International Day of Older Persons, the contrast is stark: while millions need healthcare, income security and long-term care, eight government-built elderly homes with space for 200 people remain without a single resident.

The International Day of Older Persons is being observed today under the theme "The Age of Longevity: Rethinking Systems for Longer Lives."

The theme comes at a critical moment for Bangladesh, where the proportion of older people is rising rapidly as life expectancy increases and fertility declines.

According to ...