Maximum entry age for govt jobs to be 32

The government has decided to increase the maximum age limit for applying for government jobs to 32.

However, there is no decision over the retirement age. The retirement age will remain as it is now.

The decision was made at a meeting at the chief adviser's office in the capital's Tejgaon area on Thursday, chaired by chief adviser Muhammad Yunus.

The meeting approved a draft ordinance titled "Maximum Age Limit for Direct Recruitment in Government, Autonomous, Semi-Autonomous, Statutory Authorities, Public Non-Financial Corporations, and Autonomous Organizations, 2024."

This ordinance sets the maximum age limit for entering government jobs.

After the meeting, the chief adviser's press wing and the cabinet division informed newspersons about this decision.

Previously, a review committee recommended setting the maximum age limit for entering government jobs at 35 years for men and 37 years for women; however, they did not address the retirement age.

On 30 September, the government formed a committee to review the demand for raising the age limit for entering government jobs, appointing former secretary Abdul Muyeed Chowdhury, head of the public administration reform commission, as its chair.

Currently, the general age limit for entering government services is 30 years, while for children of war heroes applying under the quota, the limit is 32 years. A group of job seekers has been protesting for an increase in the entry age limit to 35 years.

In this context, the advisory council has decided that the maximum age limit for entering all cadres of the Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) will be set at 32 years.

This age limit will also apply to all government jobs outside the BCS framework. For autonomous and semi-autonomous organisations, the age limit will be applicable according to their respective recruitment rules, with necessary additions.

However, the recruitment rules for defence and law enforcement agencies will remain unchanged.