National Assembly Passes Bill Raising Government Entry Age to 32

The National Assembly passed a bill on Sunday officially raising the maximum age limit for entry into government service to 32 years. The "Maximum Age Limit for Direct Appointment in Government, Autonomous, Statutory, and Self-Governing Bodies Bill, 2026" was introduced by State Minister for Public Administration Md. Abdul Bari and passed by voice vote. The session was presided over by Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed Bir Bikram. The legislation establishes a 32-year age limit for all cadres of the Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) and non-BCS government roles. This standard also extends to autonomous and statutory bodies where the entry age was previously capped at 30 or below 32. Crucially, the law ensures that existing opportunities are not reduced. For specialized positions that already require a higher entry age—such as those capped at 35, 40, or 45 years—the higher limits will remain in effect. Additionally, recruitment rules for the defense department and law enforcement agencies remain unchanged by this bill. The bill serves to formalize and permanentize two ordinances issued in 2024 and 2025. According to the bill’s statement of purpose, the new legislation corrects previous technical complications that had inadvertently lowered the age limits for certain specialized posts. The government stated the increase aims to provide educated, unemployed youth with more opportunities to contribute to the nation’s economy and the labor market.