A group of job seekers staged a protest demanding an end to harassment and the withdrawal of cases filed against them. They urged the government to increase the age limit for entry into government service to 35 years.
The agitators submitted a memorandum to the National Human Rights Commission (HRC) followed by forming a human chain in front of the commission.
The memorandum highlighted that students have long been demanding a permanent increase in the job application age limit to 35, aligning with international standards. In their 2018 election manifesto, the Awami League pledged to address this issue, considering talent and skills. However, the age limit remains unchanged at 30 years, unlike 162 countries worldwide where it is 35. Currently, only Pakistan and Bangladesh maintain a 30-year age limit.
For the past 12 years, highly educated job seekers have been protesting to raise this age limit. On May 11, students marched towards the public building from Dhaka University's Raju Bhaskar to draw Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's attention to their cause. The Shahbagh police blocked their way, leading to a peaceful standstill. However, 12 protesters were arrested, and false cases were filed against 400-500 people, including the movement's spokesperson and DU coordinator.
Last year, similar actions led to 10 arrests and cases against 400-500 anonymous individuals, who now face monthly court appearances. The protesters are urging the Human Rights Commission to act swiftly, withdraw the false cases against 25 individuals, and support their demand for increasing the age limit.
Shariful Hasan Shuvo, the convener of the agitators, expressed hope that the Human Rights Commission will consider their demands.
