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Law Minister Md Asaduzzaman has said the government is taking steps to prevent anyone over the age of 35 from becoming a lawyer, adding that a decision has already been made on the issue.
“We have asked for an initiative to close the path to becoming a lawyer after the age of 35. A decision has already been made, and we are trying to bring it to this stage,” he said.
The minister made the remarks while addressing a programme at the Supreme Court auditorium on Tuesday. The event marked the completion of the second batch and the reception of interns from the third batch of the Attorney General’s Office–UNDP Internship Programme, jointly organised by the Attorney General’s Office and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Attorney General Md Ruhul Quddus, Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs Barrister Zohra Adib Chowdhury, UNDP Resident Representative in Bangladesh Stephen Rodriques and Swedish Ambassador to Bangladesh Nicolas Weeks also spoke at the event.
The Bangladesh Bar Council’s Legal Education Committee had earlier recommended setting a maximum age for enrolment as a lawyer. On August 6, 2024, the committee highlighted the need for a reasonable age limit in connection with Civil Petition for Leave to Appeal No. 253/2014 before the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court.
The committee said an upper age limit would help enhance the dignity and competence of the legal profession, ensure long-term professional engagement and make the profession more dynamic.
The proposal was subsequently placed before a Bar Council meeting chaired by its chairman, Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kajal, on August 19. Members agreed to set the maximum enrolment age at 35, with the decision scheduled to take effect from January 1, 2030.
Addressing the interns, Asaduzzaman said practical experience was an essential part of learning. He described the work undertaken by law graduates at the Attorney General’s Office as an important source of professional knowledge.
Comparing lawyers’ careers with those of government officials, the minister said administrative officers often enjoyed a brighter start to their careers, while lawyers had to overcome various challenges. Retired government officials entering the legal profession later in life could find it difficult to keep pace with experienced practitioners, he added.
The minister also stressed the need to improve the social standing of lawyers, saying they must take responsibility for establishing the profession’s dignity.
He urged lawyers to broaden their knowledge beyond law to include economics, chemistry, social contract theory, anthropology, political science and anatomy. Such knowledge could be valuable in cases ranging from murder trials to financial disputes, he said.
Describing lawyers as “social engineers”, Asaduzzaman said they had a role in addressing divisions in society and contributing to state-building. Professional competence, he added, must go hand in hand with personal integrity.
He also called for stronger accountability and enforcement of professional conduct rules for lawyers, urging the Bar Council chairman to strengthen ethical standards.
Warning that artificial intelligence posed a major challenge to the legal profession, the minister said lawyers should draw on their practical experience in resolving legal disputes at the Supreme Court to respond to the emerging challenges.
