Talent Trafficking And Future Disaster In Bangladesh

Brain drain is not a new issue for developing countries. Brain drain is the migration of people with better knowledge, skills, and qualifications to other countries for modern education, better standard of living, and socio-economic security.

In the past, when the economic condition of the country was not so strong, the GDP growth rate was also low, and brain drain was not taken into consideration, rather it was seen naturally.

However, although we have seen improvement in various branches of the economy, starting from GDP, we have not been able to stop talented students from migrating to developed countries and leaving the country to live there permanently.

No one complains about meritorious students going abroad for modern and quality education, but their non-return to the country is worrisome. Because if they do not return, who will play a role in the improvement and modernization of the country?

Statistics Of Talent Trafficking From Bangladesh

According to a UNESCO report, 34,338 Bangladeshi students left the country for higher education by 2021, compared to 24,112 in 2015. Needless to say, the current brain drain is increasing rather than decreasing compared to the past.

Where is the problem and if we do not find a way to get rid of it now, in the future Bangladesh may become a country with no knowledge, no talent, only dependent on manual labor, which is not at all comforting for a country.

Many may say about increasing remittances, but can money compensate for the lack of talent and intelligence? There are certain reasons for the migration of this large number of talented population from the country to other countries.

Higher Education System Of Bangladesh

The number of primary and higher educational institutions in the country has increased significantly. Along with that, the rate of primary, secondary, and higher education has increased. According to the UGC report, currently, there are 53 public and 112 private universities in Bangladesh.

To keep pace with the world, almost every university in the country now has the opportunity to take admission to engineering programs. Moreover, there are currently more than 60 public and private engineering universities and colleges in the country and the total number of seats in these institutions is more than 50,000.

Seven thousand graduates are getting every year from various engineering programs and currently, there are a total of 54 thousand engineers in different categories in Bangladesh. But for any small and big project in Bangladesh, engineers are appointed from China, Japan, the USA, Thailand, Italy, and other countries.

Japan or China gets the responsibility for construction. So why can’t we become China or Japan or try to be like them?

Why Bangladeshi Talents Are Being Trafficked?

It cannot be said that increasing the education rate or increasing the educated population means that the quality of education has increased. By looking at how much the education system has improved or changed, it is necessary to understand how much the quality of education has actually improved, and how much the educated population can contribute to the development of the country.

Changes have indeed been made in the country’s education system and curriculum, but it has not been up to date. The country’s education system is still stuck in book-based rote learning and writing in exam notebooks. Moreover, lack of hands-on training opportunities, and practical education methods are not being used properly.

We have not been able to make the necessary reforms in the education system to catch up with the developed world. We have completely failed to be as modern as the engineering and medical education system was supposed to be.

As a result, people are losing confidence in the education system of the country, they do not have confidence in higher education even if they opt for the country’s education system up to secondary or graduation. So they are moving out of the country.

Talented engineering and medical students are ahead in going abroad for higher education. Because we have not been able to bring about the desired change and modernization in the education system in the fields of medicine and engineering.

Medical and engineering are fields where advanced training and modern technology play an important role. However, these reforms and improvements have not yet taken place in our country.

As a result, we are constantly losing many talented students in health and engineering, two very important fields of the country. Those who have little family support and financial solvency, somehow pass graduation and migrate abroad.

Candidates with only foreign degrees are preferred in various business institutions and multinational companies in the country. As a result, those who once wanted to stay in the country, seeing such discrimination in the job market and employment, are also migrating abroad.

Almost all the universities and medical colleges of Bangladesh including major higher educational institutions such as BUET, Dhaka University, and Dhaka Medical College are using a memorization-based examination system, which is not at all suitable in this modern era.

Our medical education is running with about 63 percent fewer teachers than required. Most of the medical colleges also lack laboratories, necessary equipment, etc.

Before increasing the number of medical colleges, it must be ensured that those who are getting medical degrees are getting quality medical education and training. Otherwise, both nominal medical education and doctors are dangerous in this system.

What Are The Talents Of Bangladesh In Use?

The wheel of economic development of the country has come a long way, the GDP is growing, exports have increased, the literacy rate has increased and it has achieved success in all areas.

It is expected that by 2031 we will move from a lower middle-income country to a middle-income country and by 2041 we will enter the list of high-income countries. But we are still dependent on other countries for quality higher education.

On the one hand, the march of talented students to leave the country is increasing, on the other hand, it is said that we will become a developed country, but the question is who will make the improvement? Those who will build the country in the future, who will take the lead in the country’s economic development, are leaving the country and migrating to other countries.

He was born in this country, grew up in this land, and graduated, but after getting higher education in an advanced and standard education system abroad, he is staying there and giving his talent to the development of that country, it is like eating the house and chasing away the forest!

Going abroad for quality higher education is not a bad thing. If the special knowledge acquired by him is used for the development of the country, it will be good for the country and the nation.

Apart from the shortcomings of the education system, there are other reasons behind going abroad for higher education and staying there permanently. The prevailing political and economic instability of the country, financial and social insecurity, low standard of living, lack of proper employment, rise in commodity prices, and indifference of the state towards common people are among them.

For these reasons, even after completing higher education, these young talented children are not interested in returning home. This procession of a large number of talented people leaving the country for the purpose of higher education and better living conditions is undoubtedly an ominous sign for the country and the nation.

If we cannot come out of this situation now, there is no doubt that the future of our country is dark. Therefore, if the necessary steps are not taken now, there may be a huge economic disaster in the place of development of the country.