The Bangladeshi Talent Exodus!

If we look around, we will certainly find someone in our close acquaintance, whether it be a friend or a family member, who has moved abroad with a student visa or is at least attempting to do so. We know how tough it is to gain admission to a top-tier university and obtain a student visa; thus, we should be proud of their achievements. However, the larger picture is certainly not something that we can be proud of; rather, it is concerning in my view.

Just after the HSC exam, I saw almost half of my friend circle moving abroad for their bachelor's degree. Not only that, after completing higher education in Bangladesh, people can be seen desperately trying to get a job somewhere across the border. Those who got to their desired destinations on a student visa or work permit are trying to get permanent residency. ‘Leave Bangladesh for good!’ seems to be the grail of the majority of our educated minds.

As a nation, we hardly give this brain drain a thought. Even if we do, we conclude by criticizing our education system, which is failing to nurture these fecund minds and the job market, which cannot accommodate them.

Every year, higher education seekers transform themselves into gladiator to fight in the admission arena. Getting into higher education is not a breeze anywhere in the world, but in our country, this battle fails to identify genuine talent and is meant to eliminate excess applicants. Many young minds are reluctant to enter this arena as an admission gladiator in the first place, as they think of their gains even if they come out victorious.

The bulk of the victorious admission gladiators turns into political gladiators, thus relinquishing higher education. Student politics in our educational institutions stands ahead of any research endeavor or creative idea, and this has implications in the world rankings of our universities. Due to the absence of research based higher education and presence of dark politics, many young minds opt for foreign universities, where their mind power can flourish.

Our education system needs a complete overhaul if we compare it to global standards. But, is there really no room for powerful brains in our domestic job market? Or, is there a mistrust somewhere? The demeanor of the job providers and the talent exodus have a clear mismatch, as we observe. The number of foreign-sourced officials in executive and specialized positions in our domestic job market does not underpin the local talents handling companies abroad.

Propensity for foreign recruits in our local companies shows our self-distrust as a nation, which completely obliterates the backward linkage of local talent flow in our workforce. Thus far, we have only contemplated on how employed foreigners drain our foreign exchange reserves, but we are yet to address how their recruitment induces brain drain from our country.

Going abroad to attain higher education or for lucrative jobs cannot justify cutting all the roots to the motherland. Bangladeshis renouncing their citizenship and going for citizenship of western countries unfolds not only their discontent on the standard of living here but also their hopelessness about a change. These genius minds are what we need for a turnaround. Alas, we find our nation in a vicious cycle, as the talent exodus drains our foundation for change, again no change of situation drives this malignant exodus.