The Public Administration Reform Commission, formed by the government, has recommended increasing the maximum age limit for applying to public service jobs to 35 years for men and 37 years for women.
Currently, the maximum age for entering government service is 30 for general candidates and 32 for those applying under the freedom fighter quota.
The recommendation comes in response to a long-standing demand from job seekers, many of whom have faced difficulties in securing government employment due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the economic downturn, political harassment, and backlogs in public-sector recruitment.
Experts have expressed mixed reactions to the proposal of raising the age limit, while the government committee has defended the recommendation as reasonable and necessary.
At a press briefing on Monday at the secretariat, Abdul Muyeed Chowdhury, chairman of the Public Administration Reform Commission and former secretary, explained the commission’s rationale.
He noted that the recommendation sets the general entry age limit at 35 for all candidates, with an extension to 37 for women.
“The proposal for a higher age limit for women aims to encourage greater female participation in government jobs. By allowing this flexibility, we hope to see more women sitting for exams and entering the civil service,” the chairman said.
Abdul Muyeed Chowdhury further said that the commission’s recommendation aligns with practices in neighbouring countries.
"We have consulted with students and reviewed age limits in other countries. Our proposal aligns with global standards, and Bangladesh is not doing anything extraordinary by considering this adjustment," he said.
Addressing concerns about the potential impact on the retirement age, the commission chairman clarified that no recommendations were made regarding extending the retirement age for current government employees.
"Those already in service will retire according to the age rules that were in place when they joined. There is no immediate need for concern about retirement, as those entering under the new age limit will only retire many years down the line," he explained.
Ali Imam Majumder, now an adviser to the interim government, had previously expressed scepticism in a 2018 interview, stating that it would be difficult to harness the potential of young minds if the age limit were set at 35.
Former senior secretary Abu Alam Mohammad Shahid Khan echoed this sentiment, saying, "The government will see no significant benefit if the entry-level age for government jobs is raised to 35."
AKM Saiful Islam, a former additional secretary, warned that widening the age gap between officials at the same level could weaken the administrative chain of command.
He cited past issues, recalling, "During the Ershad government, the entry-level age was set at 50, which led to an embarrassing situation in the administration after recruitment."
Long struggle for 35
In Bangladesh, around 90 per cent of employment is concentrated in the informal sector, with public and formal private sector jobs accounting for the remaining 10 per cent.
The growing attraction to public-sector jobs stems not only from the struggling and largely stagnant private job market but also from the security and benefits that government jobs offer, particularly since the introduction of the 2015 pay scale increase.
However, with the public sector representing less than 5 per cent of total employment, it struggles to accommodate the vast number of job seekers. This has fuelled frequent demands for the removal of quotas (a demand that has already been met) and for raising the age limit for entry into government service.
For years, job seekers and students have been demanding an extension of the entry age to 35. Their movement gained significant momentum when protesters gathered in front of the residence of interim government Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus on September 30.
Police used tear gas and sound grenades to disperse the demonstrators, but they remained steadfast. Later, a delegation of the protesters held a meeting with Yunus to voice their concerns.
In response to the protests and the increasing pressure from students and job seekers, the Ministry of Public Administration established a committee to review the age limit for government job applicants.
The committee was given seven working days to submit its findings, which were presented to the Chief Adviser's Office on October 9.
Jashim/Sharna
