Staff Reporter :
The government has formed a committee to evaluate the possibility of raising the age limit for entry into public service, following days of protests by jobseekers demanding the limit be extended to 35 years.
The announcement was made by Senior Secretary of the Public Administration Ministry, Md Mokhlesur Rahman, during a press conference at the Secretariat today.
The newly formed committee, led by former caretaker government adviser Abdul Muyeed Chowdhury, is tasked with submitting an advisory report to the government within seven working days. Md Mokhlesur Rahman will serve as the member secretary of the committee.
The decision to form this committee comes after a series of protests, including a major demonstration yesterday, during which jobseekers gathered in front of the residence of the Interim Government’s Chief Adviser, Dr. Muhammad Yunus, to press their demands for increasing the age limit for government job applications.
The demonstration, which began peacefully, turned confrontational in the afternoon when protesters attempted to march towards Dr. Yunus’ residence.
Around 1:45 pm, tensions escalated as hundreds of demonstrators pushed through police barricades near the Chief Adviser’s residence, Jamuna. In response, law enforcement officers fired tear gas to disperse the crowd. Witnesses described scenes of panic as demonstrators fled in various directions.
Several protesters alleged that police used batons in addition to tear gas, though the police denied the claims, stating that they had repeatedly urged the protesters to leave the area peacefully. According to police, force was only used when their warnings were ignored.
Earlier that day, the protesters had assembled at Dhaka’s Shahbagh, near the National Museum, for a rally that began around 11 am. The gathering, which included students and recent graduates from across the country, was held to call for an increase in the maximum age limit for public service entry from the current 30 years to 35 years.
Demonstrators cited the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, political instability, and extended academic sessions as reasons why many have been unable to meet the current age threshold.
Among those expressing solidarity with the protesters was Ilias Kanchan, prominent road safety activist and founder of ‘Nirapad Sarak Chai.’ He publicly supported the protesters’ demands, emphasising that the current age limit does not reflect the challenges faced by many young people in recent years.
Following the rally, around 1:30 pm, the demonstrators marched from Shahbagh toward Dr. Yunus’ residence, breaking through a police barricade as they neared the Ramna Park area. When the police blocked their further advance, a confrontation ensued, prompting the use of tear gas to control the situation.
The government’s swift response in forming the committee suggests it is taking the demands of the protesters seriously.
However, the outcome of the committee’s report remains to be seen, and whether the government will move to officially increase the age limit is still uncertain. In the meantime, the protests reflect growing discontent among Bangladesh’s youth, many of whom believe the current age limit does not account for the disruptions they have experienced.
The committee’s report, expected in the coming days, will be closely watched by jobseekers and other stakeholders as a potential turning point in the ongoing debate over the public service age limit.