Bangladesh ranks 67th in Global Age Watch Index

In Bangladesh, there are currently 11.2 million people above the age of 60 years (projected to be 11.5 million in 2030 and 21.5 million in 2050). Life expectancy at 60 years is 18 years and Healthy life expectancy at 60 years is 13.8 years. According to the Global Age Watch Report 2015 of the Help Age International, Bangladesh ranks 67^th out of 96 countries. Global Age Watch Index ranks countries to show how well their elderly population are doing.

The Global Age Watch Index is a composite index which takes into consideration income security (ranks 71 measured by pension coverage, old age poverty rate, relative welfare and GNI per capita), health status (ranks 71 measured by life expectancy at 60, healthy life expectancy at 60, relative psychological/mental wellbeing), capability (ranks 76 measured by employment of older people, educational attainment), and enabling environment (ranks 41 measured by social connections, physical safety, civic freedom, access to public transport).

Last year Bangladesh ranked 59 on this scale. The decline is mainly due to the replacement of labour force participation with employment rate. It ranks low in health domain (71) due to low life expectancy at 60 and healthy life expectancy at 60 compared to regional averages of 19 years and 14.8 years respectively. Bangladesh performed moderately in enabling environment due to satisfaction of the 60+ people with physical safety, public transport and ?civic freedom but dwindling social connections, mainly due to transition to nuclear family and increasing abuse and neglect resulting from urbanization.

The details can be found from the Report at www.helpage.org/global-agewatch