Following the agitation and violent situation in front of the Chief Adviser's official residence Jamuna between the agitators and police, the government has formed a committee led by Abdul Mueed Chowdhury, a former secretary and adviser to the caretaker government, and senior secretary to the Public Administration Ministry to recommend about the demands of the increasing service entry and retirement ages.
A notification was issued on Monday with the signature of Public Administration Ministry Additional Secretary (Rules) Obaidur Rahman giving the committee seven working days to submit its report to the government.
According to the notification, the committee will have the authority to include necessary number of members in the convening committee where Mueed Chowdhury was designated as convener and senior secretary to the Public Administration Ministry was designated as member secretary.
The committee will submit its report to the government within seven working days and the decision will be effective immediately, it stated.
According to the witnesses, a huge number of government jobseekers went to the Chief Adviser's official resident Jamuna at around 11am on Monday to submit a memorandum demanding increase of the service entry and retirement age. They have started demonstration there.
As police claimed that demonstration and protest at the Jamuna area is strictly prohibited, they started dispersing the agitators. At one stage, a violent situation has been created and police scattered them using tear gas.
Later, the demonstrators started gathering there claiming that they will start a sit-in programme in front of Jamuna. At around 5.20pm, a delegation allowed to enter the Chief Adviser's House for submission of their memorandum, according to the witnesses.
Bangladesh Administrative Service Association (BASA) Secretary General Muhammad Mahbubur Rahman has recently submitted a prayer to the Cabinet Division demanding extending the service entry age at 35 years and retirement age at 65 years following the demands of the government jobseekers who were protesting across the country including Dhaka.
The Cabinet Division, on September 18, forwarded the prayer to the Public Administration Ministry requesting taking necessary measures in this regard as it is the jurisdiction of the ministry.
On September 22, Public Administration Ministry Senior Secretary Dr. Md. Mokhles Ur Rahman informed media that the government has not yet taken any decision to extend service entry age at 35 years.
"The government has not yet taken any decision to extend the service entry age at 35 years or retirement age at 65 years. The news of extending the ages is absolutely 'rumour'. Please, do not take such rumours in consideration," he said while responding a question of journalists at a press conference held in his ministry conference at Secretariat in Dhaka.
He said, "Many news papers and media have been publishing such news. They have submitted prayer. But, decision has not yet been taken. The news of extending service age is rumour."
