Govt to amend Parents’ Maintenance Act, minister tells parliament

The government has initiated steps to amend the Parents’ Maintenance Act 2013, with proposed changes to the law’s punishment provisions, including the duration of penalties, fines and imprisonment, to strengthen enforcement of children’s obligation to support their parents.

Social Welfare Minister Abu Zafar Md Zahid Hossain disclosed the move while responding to a written question from reserved-seat Jamaat-e-Islami MP Nazmun Nahar during the question-and-answer session in parliament today (28 June).

The Parents’ Maintenance Act 2013, was enacted to ensure that parents receive financial support and care from their children.

The minister said the amendment is being prepared based on feedback from stakeholders.

Speaking on a separate issue, the minister also addressed allegations of political influence and irregularities in the distribution of social safety net allowances.

Responding to a question from Naogaon-3 MP Md Fazley Houda, he acknowledged that complaints had been raised in previous years over politically motivated beneficiary selection and other irregularities in the allowance distribution process.

He said the ministry is taking necessary measures to address the allegations and has launched a nationwide verification drive to ensure that only genuinely poor, destitute and eligible individuals receive benefits, while removing fake or ineligible beneficiaries from the lists.

To facilitate the review, a committee was formed on 19 April under the initiative of the Cabinet Division to re-verify beneficiary lists across the country, he added.