Following the recovery of Nur Jahan Begum’s body, public attention has once again turned to the Parents Maintenance Act of 2013 and its implementing regulations, which were enacted in 2023.
The law stipulates that every child is responsible for ensuring the maintenance and welfare of their parents. Where parents have more than one child, the siblings are required to consult among themselves and collectively ensure their parents’ maintenance.
The law further requires children to maintain regular contact regarding their parents’ health and to provide necessary medical treatment and care.
Failure to comply with the law is punishable by a fine of up to Tk 100,000 or, in default of payment, imprisonment for up to three months.
Zahirul Islam, a tenant on the ground floor of the building where Nur Jahan Begum lived, and another neighbour, Syed Mohammad Hasan, told Prothom Alo that all of her children were educated individuals.
They asked why should a mother die under such neglect even then?