Opinion Piece Urges Seniors' Skills Registry and Pension Reforms

On August 18, 2026, an opinion piece authored by Tasnuma Akter and Jahin Siddiqui was published in The Daily Star newspaper in Bangladesh. The commentary advocates for the establishment of a national seniors' skills registry alongside comprehensive pension reforms to better support the country's aging population.

The demographic landscape of Bangladesh is undergoing a significant transition. According to the published facts, the proportion of people aged 60 or older in Bangladesh is currently nearly 10 percent. Furthermore, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) estimates that this demographic group will double in size by the year 2050.

Addressing the economic security of older citizens, the commentary notes existing government frameworks. The Universal Pension Scheme was officially launched in 2023 and includes provisions to cover informal workers. Additionally, the government's Old Age Allowance was increased earlier this year from Tk 650 to Tk 700 a month, and the program has been expanded to cover a total of 62 lakh people.

Despite these existing measures, labor market challenges remain vast across the country. Statistical data shows that informal employees make up more than 80 percent of all workers in Bangladesh. To help mitigate economic vulnerabilities, the Palli Karma Sahayak Foundation (PKSF) is actively training over a thousand elderly Bangladeshis in income-generating work.

The authors of the opinion piece also highlight existing technological infrastructure that could support broader administrative efforts. Bangladesh currently maintains a Dynamic Social Registry which holds records on four crore beneficiaries. The publication of this piece has drawn attention from academic institutions, including Shahjalal University of Science and Technology and North East University Bangladesh.