The Parliament has rejected a proposal to increase the maximum age limit for entering public service to 35 years from 30.
Independent MP Md. Rezaul Karim of Bogura-7 brought a motion during the session on Thursday (Apr 25), which was rejected through a voice vote.
In response to the private member’s motion, State Minister for Public Administration Farhad Hossain told the House that the government finds the existing age limit and retirement age for public service as reasonable.
“The age limit was raised to 27 years from 25 after the War of Independence before it was increased to 30 years later. There is no session jams in the universities now. A student can complete Masters by 23 years, allowing seven years to prepare for public service exams,” he said.
He said raising the maximum age limit to 35 years will lead to pension-related complicacies before urging the lawmaker to withdraw his motion.
Independent MP Rezaul, however, refused, following which the motion went through a voice vote before lawmakers rejected it.
After making it clear on several occasions that it has no plans to raise the limit, in August last year the government said that it was considering it.
Several Dhaka-based media reported then quoting the cabinet secretary that “talks on the issue are ongoing and the process will start soon”.
In November 2017, the retirement age for freedom fighters in government services was raised to 60 years.
Job seekers then raised the demand for increasing the age ceiling for entering public services.
Private organisations and banks do not want to recruit candidates over 30 years of age in accordance with government rules, squeezing their job opportunities, they argue.