The 13th Parliament on Sunday passed its first piece of legislation, officially setting the maximum age limit for entry into government service at 32 years.

The bill, titled the “Maximum Age Limit for Direct Appointment in Government, Autonomous, Statutory Government Authorities, Public Non-Financial Corporations and Self-Governing Bodies Act, 2026,” was moved by State Minister for Public Administration Md. Abdul Bari. It was subsequently passed by a voice vote in the House.

Under the new law, the entry age for direct recruitment in government services has been extended by two years from the previous general limit of 30.

However, the Act also introduces a uniform standard that impacts various existing sectors. In cases where previous appointment rules had fixed entry ages at 33, 35, 40, or 45 years, the new legislation effectively consolidates and reduces the limit to 32 years across the board.

Minister Abdul Bari stated that the government increased the age limit in response to the growing demand from job seekers and the necessity of providing educated unemployed youth with more opportunities to contribute to nation-building.

He emphasized that this shift is expected to have a significant positive impact on the country's economy and the domestic labor market.

The Minister also noted that the Bangladesh Public Service Commission (BPSC) has already initiated recruitment processes for the Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) based on the 32-year limit.

Transforming the previous ordinance into a formal law was essential to provide a permanent legal framework for these ongoing and future recruitment cycles.