The National Parliament on Sunday passed a bill setting the maximum age limit for direct recruitment in government jobs at 32 years.
The bill, titled "The Maximum Age Limit for Direct Recruitment in Government, Autonomous, Statutory Public Authorities and Public Non-Financial Corporations Bill, 2026," was passed by voice vote during the eighth sitting of the first session of the 13th Jatiya Sangsad. It was placed by State Minister for Public Administration Md. Abdul Bari. The session was presided over by Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed.
According to the key provisions of the bill, the maximum age limit for entry into all cadres of the Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS), as well as all non-cadre government jobs, will now be 32 years. The same age limit will apply to positions in autonomous and statutory bodies where the previous maximum age was set at 30 or up to 32 years.
However, the law ensures that no existing opportunities are reduced. For positions where the maximum age limit had already been fixed above 32 years-such as 35, 40, or 45 years-the higher limits will remain unchanged. Additionally, recruitment rules for the defence services and law enforcement agencies will continue to be governed by their respective existing regulations.
The statement of objectives and reasons for the bill notes that the increase in the age limit is intended to create more opportunities for educated unemployed youth and to have a positive impact on the labour market.
It also explains that the new law replaces two ordinances issued in 2024 and 2025, converting those temporary measures into permanent legal provisions. The earlier ordinances had created certain technical complications, particularly in specialized positions where higher age limits were inadvertently reduced.
The newly passed bill removes those ambiguities and restores clarity by maintaining previously fixed higher age limits for specific posts, while standardising the general upper age limit for entry into most government jobs at 32 years.
Parliament Sunday passed an amendment to the Government Service Act, 2018 with stricter measures to ensure accountability and discipline among government employees.
The bill was placed in parliament and passed by voice vote. It was introduced on behalf of the Public Administration Minister by State Minister for Food Md. Abdul Bari.
Under the amendment, a new provision-Section 37A-has been interpolated into the existing law, defining certain activities as "misconduct that disrupts government functions." According to the provision, a public servant will be considered guilty of such misconduct if they disobey lawful orders from their authorities , obstruct the implementation of government circulars or directives, remain absent from duty without valid reason without formally resigning, or engage in actions that disrupt official work or prevent others from carrying out their duties.
The amendment introduces strict penalties for such offences, including demotion to a lower position or pay grade, compulsory retirement,
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