Bangladesh has decided to extend the age limit for government jobs by 21 months due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. That does not, however, apply to jobs under the BCS, said a notification of the Ministry of Public Administration (MoPA).
The Ministry of Public Administration on Thursday said that the ministries, departments and its subordinate offices, which could not invite applications for recruitment in various categories of job vacancies due to the pandemic situation, must fix the age limit of candidates as of March 25, 2020, for all recruitment calls to be published within December 31st this year.
Earlier, the government had given a five-month age exemption to job seekers who were unable to apply for government jobs due to the general holiday last year.
As such, people seeking jobs in the public sector have, effectively, had the age limit raised for 21 months until the end of the year.
Students and job-seekers have been demanding a rise in the age ceiling from 30 for quite some time. They have demonstrated for the demand as well.
The government, however, has not agreed to enhance the maximum age ceiling permanently. It relaxed the age rules in September last year, allowing the candidates who had aged beyond the limit after March 25, 2020 to apply.
The Public Service Commission held preliminary tests of Bangladesh Civil Service this year, but very few notices were published for other jobs, leaving many candidates in despair.
Earlier State Minister for Public Administration Farhad Hossain told reporters, “We have taken several initiatives for people of different classes and professions to make up the loss caused by corona. We did the same last year. We relaxed the age limit allowing candidates who turned 30 after March 25 to apply for government jobs.”
Farhad also said those who turned 30 on March 25 last year will also get the benefit.
At present, the age limit for entry into government service is 30 years. The limit is 32 years for the children of freedom fighters.
The government increased the age limit by five months in the first phase of the Covid-19 pandemic last year.
