DU Correspondent

Agitating students from different universities including those from Dhaka University Saturday blocked Shahabagh intersection for three and a half hours demanding raise in age limit at entry point for the government job to 35 years from existing 30.

They waged a demonstration programme under the banner of Bangladesh General Students' Council. The programme started at around 10:30 am which seriously halted movement of vehicular traffic leading to severe congestion in the area.

Earlier, they formed a human chain in front of the National Museum from 10am to press home their demand. Later they went to the city's key intersection and put barricade there.

The university students, mostly job-seekers, also threatened uninterrupted movement including hunger unto to death from next week, if the authorities concerned do not meet their demand within seven days.

Besides, the agitating students also vowed to enforce closure of all universities across the country from next week, if their demand was not met within the deadline, said Mohammad Istiak Hossain, president of the council.

Istiak, also a Dhaka University student, said that a student generally finishes his or her academic session at the age of 27 to 28 years and they get only two years to prepare themselves for the government job, which is inadequate.

Joint general secretary Khorshed Alam Sumon defended their movement saying that age limit for government service, even in neighbouring countries like India is 35. Besides, the United Kingdom and the United States of America are in practice of same age limit for government job.

He said although the government had increased retirement age limit from 57 to 59 it remained reluctant to raise age limit at entry point in the government job which is frustrating.

The protesters alleged that they had arranged many peaceful programmes including human chain to realise their demand, but the concerned authorities didn't pay any heed to it.

In September last year, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Administration Ministry suggested examining the possibility of raising the age limit at entry point of the government services by two years from 30 to 32 years.