Highlighting that nutrition is indispensable for building an intelligent nation, Chattogram Divisional Director (Health), Dr. Sheikh Fazle Rabbi said that people of all ages from children to the elderly require proper nutrition without any form of discrimination. He emphasized the importance of caring for adolescents as well as elderly family members and ensuring access to balanced and nutritious food.
He made these remarks while presiding over a discussion meeting held on Thursday morning on the occasion of National Nutrition Day at the conference room of the Divisional Health Director’s office in Chattogram.
Dr. Rabbi said, the current government has given special importance to elderly nutrition in the national nutrition policy. He stressed that government hospitals must ensure priority healthcare services not only for children and adolescents but also for elderly citizens. Developing regular exercise and physical activity habits.
He said that along with physical health, the mental well-being of the elderly is equally important. Ensuring foods rich in calcium and vitamin D is essential for them.
Emphasizing respect and responsibility toward parents, he said that caring for them in old age is a duty of every child and they should not be neglected.
The meeting also informed that the theme of this year’s National Nutrition Week (April 23–29) is “End of Nutrition Inequality: Building a Self-Reliant Bangladesh.” The week-long program was inaugurated earlier through a colorful rally.
At the discussion, Assistant Director of the Divisional Health Office, Dr. Abu Sayeed Md. Imtiaz Hossain presented the keynote theme through a multimedia presentation. Representatives from various health institutions also stressed the need for raising awareness about nutrition, ensuring safe food, and taking collective action to prevent malnutrition.
He said that the government plans to formulate an “Elderly Nutrition Guideline” and implement the Parents Maintenance Act-2013. Initiatives such as introducing insurance schemes for the elderly, establishing a development foundation, and continuing “Shanti Nibash” programs for shelter and food support are also underway.
Speakers at the event said that the primary cause of malnutrition is the lack of proper intake of nutritious food. Therefore, to stay healthy, everyone must be conscious about consuming nutritious, safe, and iodine-rich food. Ensuring proper nutrition for pregnant women is especially important, as it helps in the healthy brain development of future generations.
