Parents' maintenance laws: How Bangladesh compares with the rest of the world
Compared with many countries, Bangladesh's legislation is considered relatively strict because it combines a legal obligation with criminal penalties.
Bangladesh's Parents Maintenance Act, 2013 makes it a legal obligation for every son and daughter to ensure the maintenance of their parents by providing food, clothing, shelter, medical care and companionship.
Those who fail to fulfil the responsibility can face a fine of up to Tk1 lakh, or, in default, up to three months' imprisonment.
Although the law is often viewed as a reflection of Bangladesh's family values, similar legal obligations exist in many countries across Asia, Europe and North America. While the scope and enforcement differ, the underlying principle remains the same: adult children have a legal duty to support parents who cannot care for themselves.
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Asia
Several Asian countries have enacted dedicated legislation as rapid urbanisation, migration and changing family structures have weakened traditional caregiving arrangements.
In Singapore, the Maintenance of Parents Act, 1995 allows parents aged 60 or above who cannot support themselves to seek financial maintenance from their children through a specialised tribunal. The tribunal can order monthly payments or a lump-sum settlement.
Neighbouring India introduced the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007, requiring adult children and legal heirs to provide maintenance for parents and senior citizens. The law also establishes dedicated tribunals for speedy disposal of cases and provides penalties, including imprisonment, for abandoning elderly parents.
In China, amendments to the Law on the Protection of the Rights and Interests of the Elderly in 2013 went beyond financial support. Adult children are legally required not only to support their parents financially but also to visit them regularly, recognising emotional wellbeing as part of elderly care.
Japan also imposes reciprocal support obligations through its Civil Code, requiring lineal relatives, including adult children, to support parents who are unable to maintain themselves. Courts may determine the amount of support in disputed cases.
Similarly, South Korea's Civil Act places maintenance obligations on family members, including adult children, when elderly parents are in financial need.
Europe
Unlike many Asian countries, European nations generally treat parental maintenance as a matter of civil law rather than criminal law.
In Germany, the concept of Elternunterhalt (parental support) requires financially capable children to contribute to the care costs of parents when they cannot afford expenses such as nursing homes. However, reforms introduced in 2020 significantly limited the obligation by exempting most children earning less than €100,000 annually.
In France, Articles 205 to 211 of the Civil Code establish an obligation alimentaire, legally requiring children to provide financial assistance, food, housing and medical care to parents facing financial hardship. The obligation can also extend to parents-in-law in certain circumstances.
Similar maintenance provisions also exist in Italy, Spain, Austria, Belgium and Switzerland, where courts may require financially capable family members to contribute to parents' living or healthcare expenses.
United States
Filial responsibility laws also exist in the United States, although they are seldom enforced because of extensive public healthcare and welfare programmes.
More than 25 US states retain laws dating back to the English Poor Laws of the 17th century. In some jurisdictions, particularly Pennsylvania, hospitals or nursing homes have successfully sued adult children to recover unpaid medical or long-term care expenses incurred by indigent parents.
While these cases remain relatively uncommon, the laws continue to exist as a legal mechanism when public assistance does not fully cover care costs.
Bangladesh's law among the stricter models
Compared with many countries, Bangladesh's legislation is considered relatively strict because it combines a legal obligation with criminal penalties.
The Parents Maintenance Act requires every son and daughter to ensure parents' overall welfare, including food, clothing, shelter, healthcare and companionship. Failure to comply can result in a fine of up to Tk1 lakh or three months' imprisonment if the fine is unpaid.
The law is therefore closer to the legal models followed by countries such as India and Singapore, where governments have enacted specific legislation to address the growing challenges of ageing populations and changing family structures.
While Western countries generally rely on civil litigation or welfare cost-recovery mechanisms instead of criminal punishment, the broader principle remains remarkably consistent across jurisdictions: when elderly parents become unable to support themselves, their adult children are expected to serve as the primary source of financial and, increasingly, emotional support.
