DHAKA, July 02, (V7N): The Parents Maintenance Act, 2013, establishes a strict legal obligation for adult children to support their parents, introducing a maximum fine of Taka 100,000 or a three-month prison sentence for those who fail to comply. Under the statute, parental maintenance is legally defined as providing food, clothing, shelter, comprehensive medical care, and companionship. Crucially, the legislation explicitly bans children from placing their parents in old-age homes against their choice, providing robust statutory protection for vulnerable elderly citizens.
According to Section 3 of the Act, if a parent has multiple children, the sibling group must jointly share the financial and physical responsibility of upkeep. Children are legally required to manage medical emergencies, frequently check on their parents' well-being, and—if living in separate residences—regularly transfer a reasonable portion of their daily or monthly income to their parents. Section 4 extends these multi-generational obligations, stipulating that grandchildren must provide equivalent maintenance to their paternal or maternal grandparents if the respective parents are deceased or absent.
The punitive mechanisms outlined in Section 5 apply not only to the children but also to secondary actors; any spouse, relative, or sibling who actively blocks, disrupts, or refuses to cooperate with the required care will be charged with abetment and face identical fines or imprisonment. Commenting on the framework, Supreme Court lawyer Advocate Khalid Hossain labeled the Act a landmark step for elder rights and family harmony, noting that the penalties send a powerful warning to negligent households. He emphasized that the framework is not purely punitive, pointing out that Section 8 encourages amicable out-of-court dispute resolutions, while the supplementary Parents Maintenance Rules, 2023, mandate the creation of specialized regional elderly care funds and support centers to reinforce dignity for the aging population.
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