Public Administration Minister Farhad Hossain on Monday said that the the age limit for entering government service is a matter of policy decision and right now there is no such decision.
The issue remains open for future discussion, said the minister.
Addressing parliamentary inquiries, he noted: “Whether to extend the age limit or not in the future, whether it would be good to increase the age limit or not is a policy decision. We will review the age limit policy in the future and make a final decision."
Saying that he will discuss this issue with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the minister also said that the government has no decision to increase the age limit for now.
During a session responding to questions from Awami League MPs Rafiqul Islam of Chandpur-5 and Farida Yasmin of the reserved women's seat, the minister reiterated the government's stance. Both MPs had inquired about potential plans to increase the age limit following a recommendation from the Education Minister.
Rafiqul Islam highlighted the need for revision, pointing out that life expectancy in the country has increased from 62 to 72 years. It would be logical to adjust the age limit for government jobs to at least 35 years to reflect this change, he added.
Replying to these questions Public Administration Minister Farhad Hossain admitted that he had got a letter from the Education Minister and said: “It is a matter of our policy decision,”
In response, Minister Farhad Hossain outlined the government's recent strides in public service modernization. Over the last 15 years, the government has made significant updates, including raising the entry age from 27 to 30 years, and extending the retirement age from 57 to 59 years. The job environment and pay structure are increasingly drawing top talent from various universities, he explained.
Regarding the age limit, Farhad Hossain described it as a critical policy issue. "Currently, job seekers start appearing for the BCS examination around the ages of 22 or 23, giving them approximately 6 to 7 years to secure a position in government service. We believe this provides ample time for entry," he noted.
The minister affirmed that any decision to alter the age policy would only come after thorough discussions. This matter requires careful consideration with the prime minister.
Although the Education Minister has prompted them with a formal request to revisit the age limits, the ministry has not yet decided to implement any changes, Farhad Hossain concluded.
Mentioning the age of entry into employment and retirement is very important, Farhad Hossain said: “Highly talented and meritorious students from universities are joining the cadre service. Because of the environment and salary structure, the government job has become a big attraction for the new generation. Involvement in government work is an honour. Again the job security, pay structure and working environment have been also improved."
Job seekers have been protesting for a long time demanding to make the maximum age limit for entering government jobs to 35 years.
Education Minister, Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury also wrote a letter to the Ministry of Public Administration supporting the job seekers’ demand on 29 April.
After that, this issue has become the talk of the country again.
Job seekers do not want to wait for administrative decisions only, they want an active movement again.
Already job seekers announced a mass gathering program at the Raju Sculpture of the University of Dhaka on May 11, to support their demand of raising the government job age to 35 years old.
