Too old to hire? The quiet bias keeping skilled professionals out of jobs

In a world that prizes innovation and adaptability, one would assume experience is a critical asset. Yet, for many older professionals, particularly those over 50, the job market tells a different story—one where decades of service are quietly disregarded in favour of youth. Age discrimination, or ageism, in the workplace remains a pervasive but often under-acknowledged issue globally, and Bangladesh is no exception.

Ageism does not wear a name tag. It rarely arrives in the form of explicit rejections, but rather through subtle cues—roles that never materialise, interviews that turn awkward after dates of birth are shared, and promotions that never come. According to a 2024 survey by the International Human Resource Information Management Association (IHRIM), 62% of US workers over the age of 50 reported experiencing age-related bias in their careers, while 77% believed they were not hired for a job because of their age. Such figures reflect a broader trend across developed and developing economies alike.

While hard data is sparse in Bangladesh, anecdotal evidence and employment practices suggest a similar pattern. Many private-sector employers quietly favour younger candidates under the assumption they are more adaptable, more digitally literate, and less costly. Although the Bangladesh Labour Act prohibits discrimination on several grounds, age is rarely foregrounded as a concern. Enforcement remains lax, and legal recourse is virtually non-existent for those marginalised solely due to their age.

Public policy, too, contributes to the problem. The Bangladesh Civil Service (Age, Qualification and Examination for Direct Recruitment) Regulation, 2014, imposes an upper age limit of 30 years for applicants to most government jobs, with limited exceptions for certain quotas. While the policy is designed to streamline recruitment and manage youth unemployment, it also precludes experienced professionals from public service roles where their insights might be invaluable.

Saad Ahmed, an entrepreneur based in Dhaka, describes this dynamic as "an institutionalised form of ageism that contradicts the country's development goals." He explains: "We are simultaneously an ageing society and one that claims to value experience, yet our systems bar older citizens from formal contribution. That contradiction is unsustainable."

Globally, ageism intersects with other biases—particularly gender. A recent survey by Women of Influence+ found that nearly 78% of women have experienced age-related discrimination in their careers, with many reporting that opportunities dry up once they enter their late 40s or early 50s. While such data is not widely available for Bangladeshi women specifically, cultural expectations and family obligations often push older women further from the formal labour market, compounding the discrimination they face.

The economic implications of ageism are far-reaching. Organisations that overlook older employees miss out on institutional memory, mentorship, and stability. A McKinsey report on workforce diversity suggests that mixed-age teams often outperform their more homogenous counterparts, particularly in problem-solving and knowledge transfer. In Bangladesh, with life expectancy on the rise—currently averaging around 73 years—the economic burden of supporting a growing retired population could be mitigated by enabling extended participation in the labour force.

Addressing the issue requires deliberate and sustained action. Employers need to move beyond cosmetic commitments to diversity and invest in inclusive hiring practices. That means focusing on competencies, not chronology. It also means providing upskilling opportunities tailored to older workers, whose learning styles and needs may differ from younger colleagues.

Some companies have begun to implement 'age-inclusive' policies abroad, such as blind recruitment processes that omit age and graduation dates. Others, including German automotive firms and Japanese manufacturers, have created phased retirement plans or job-sharing arrangements that allow older employees to stay engaged without the demands of full-time work.

Such initiatives are rare in Bangladesh, but there is potential. Tech hubs in Dhaka and Chattogram are beginning to see the value of pairing young developers with seasoned project managers. NGOs focused on ageing have also called for reforms that promote the economic integration of older adults, not just their welfare.

Public awareness campaigns could also shift perceptions. Ageism, unlike racism or sexism, is often internalised. Many people unconsciously accept that declining relevance is a natural consequence of ageing, even when the evidence suggests otherwise. By normalising older people in leadership, technical, and creative roles, society can begin to chip away at this bias.

"I think of it this way," said Anannya Rahman, a communications consultant based in Dhaka. "You can be twenty-five and stale or sixty and brilliant. Age is only a disadvantage if we allow ourselves to believe it is."

Indeed, the case for challenging ageism is not merely moral, it is economic. In a country like Bangladesh, where nearly 13% of the population will be over 60 by 2031, creating an age-inclusive workforce is both a social imperative and a strategic necessity.

Age, after all, should be a credential, not a crime.