Public Administration Reforms Commission Chief Abdul Muyeed Chowdhury, who also heads the five-member committee tasked with making recommendations on the demands to increase the service entry and retirement ages, claimed on Wednesday that he saw valid reasons for raising the age of entry into the civil service.
"There is no doubt about the justification of increasing the age limit for entry into government jobs," he stated after a meeting with job seekers aged 35 at the Bangladesh Secretariat on Wednesday.
Muyeed Chowdhury explained that the committee, constituted by the government, has a singular focus as a movement on this issue has been ongoing for a long time.
"The committee will make a decision, taking into account existing policies, future work plans, and the overall situation," he added, noting that the committee has been instructed to submit its recommendations within seven days.
In response to a question about the justification for raising the entry age into government jobs, he acknowledged that many aspirants had encountered difficulties due to the COVID-19 pandemic and session jams.
"It would be recommended to increase the limit, considering the necessity. However, it is difficult to determine the exact increase at this moment."
"So, the age limit for entry into government service should be raised," he observed.
"We have met with the agitators who have been protesting, demanding an increase in the service age limit. We will make a decision considering the government's current situation, future work plan, and overall circumstances. There is no doubt that there is a valid argument for increasing the service age," he added.
The interim government formed the five-member committee on Monday to review the current age limit for entry into government jobs.
The committee held a meeting with the protesting government jobseekers on Wednesday, just a day after the formation of the full-fledged committee.
Senior Secretary of the Public Administration Ministry, Dr Mokhles Ur Rahman, is the member secretary of the committee, while Muyeed Chowdhury serves as the convener.
A large number of government jobseekers have been protesting for a long time, demanding the age of entry into government service be increased from 30 to 35 years, and the retirement age be raised from 59 to 65 years.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, representatives of the jobseekers said the committee had assured them that the issue would be resolved within the next seven working days with its recommendations.
