University students and government job seekers on Monday evening began a mass hunger strike to press home their demand of issuing a notification on raising the public service joining age limit to 35 years from 30 years.

Earlier, the demonstrators staged a six-hour sit-in in front of the National Museum in Shahbagh, in the capital.

They said they will not leave the spot nor will they have any meal or drinks until their demand is met.

They have been protesting with the same demand for the past 12 years, and on Monday night they decided they would return home only after the issuance of government notification, they told reporters.

Earlier, on 14 October, the Public Administration Reforms Commission recommended that the age limit for entering government jobs be set at 35 years for men and 37 years for women.

Some recent demonstrations had likely pushed Abdul Muyeed Chowdhury, the head of the commission, to place the recommendation before the interim government.