Decision on raising govt job entry age Thursday

A decision on raising the entry age for government jobs will be made during a meeting of the advisers of the interim government tomorrow (17 October). 

The agenda for tomorrow's advisory council meeting includes a discussion on the matter. 

The Business Standard has obtained a copy of the agenda. 

The meeting will be presided over by the Chief Adviser of the interim government, Dr Muhammad Yunus. 

Earlier on Monday (14 October), the Public Administration Reform Commission recommended increasing the maximum age for applying for government jobs to 35 years for men and 37 years for women.

Currently, the age limit for entering government jobs is 30 years, while it is 32 years for the children of freedom fighters.

Referring to a neighbouring country, the commission's chairman Abdul Muyeed Chowdhury said the maximum age for women was recommended to be 37 so that they would have more chances. 

"The proposal will be placed at the next meeting of the advisory council, and the government will take a decision upon discussion," he said.

"We have recommended it considering the socio-economic aspects of the country. We have not discovered anything new. It exists in many countries of the world. It was taken into consideration that girls get priority in all aspects," he told reporters.

The commission chairman said that no decision has been made about the retirement of public employees as the government will consider it later.

Amid the students' movement, the interim government formed a committee led by Abdul Muyeed Chowdhury on 30 September to determine a rational age limit for entering government jobs.

The committee was asked to submit a report within seven working days.