Muhith for contractual government jobs

Special Correspondent: Finance Minister AMA Muhith on Wednesday said government jobs should be on contractual basis so that anyone can be able to enter government service at any age.

The minister came up with the comment while briefing reporters after a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Public Purchase at the Cabinet Division.

His comment came at a time when the government is planning to increase the age limit for entry into government jobs.

Public administration ministry recommended increasing the to 32 years age limit for entry into government jobs.

When asked about the matter, the minister said, “I have no objection. According to me, government jobs should be on contractual basis so that anyone can be able to enter government service at any age.”

Responding to a query, Muhith said, “I had a plan to raise age limit for entry into government jobs. I also made a recommendation in this regard but it did not come into effect. But I think there will be no change before the 11th parliamentary election since the Election Commission is preparing to hold the election in December.”

Earlier, the parliamentary standing committee on the public administration ministry recommended increasing the age limit for entering public services to 35 years from 30 years now and the retirement age to 65 years from 59 years now.

The government last raised the age limit for job seekers and the public servants’ retirement age in 2011.

In the light of the committee’s recommendations, the government was working to increase age ceilings for both entry and retirement in the public services, Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam told risingbd.com earlier.

On Nov 21 last year, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced the extension of retirement age for freedom fighters in government services to 60 years.

Government job aspirants then demanded increasing the age limit for entry to public services.

Besides, students and jobseekers demonstrated for weeks demanding the government raise the age limit for the public services, apart from reforms to the quota system.


risingbd/Dhaka/Aug 29, 2018/Hasnat/AI