Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud today said taking care of the elderly parents and guardians is a social and legal responsibility of children.

 “Not providing maintenance to helpless and sick parents or to leave them on the streets is a punishable offence,” he said while visiting the ‘Child and Old Age Care’ at Dakkhin Paikpara in city’s Mirpur.

 
The minister visited Selim Master, a teacher of his upazila at Ranguniya in Chattogram, at the center and talked with him. He asked the authorities concerned to find out his children.

 Selim told the minister that he wanted to go to his village to campaign in favour of Dr Hasan Mahmud in the next polls.

 
Hasan also visited other inmates of the care center and handed over gifts to them. He handed over a cheque to Miltan Samaddar, founder of the ‘Child and Old Age Care Foundation’.
 

Hasan said every child must take care of parents till their death. The government has also passed a law to this end, he added.
 
He said the persons who are not taking care of their parents are doing social injustice and it is a punishable offence. This crime is unpardonable, said Hasan, also Awami League joint general secretary.
 

Praising the role of Miltan Samaddar, the minister said it is an extraordinary work. “As a citizen and a minister of the country, I’m extending my gratitude and congratulations to Miltan. The government has already awarded him and he got youth award and a social welfare award for his outstanding contribution. We will provide more assistance if needed,” he added.
 

The minister hoped that many would come forward for doing social work like Miltan.
 

Miltan said he established the center in 2014 after bringing a helpless old person to his home. Now, there are 15 orphan children, 20 children with disabilities and 135 elderly persons in the center.