The government is giving highest priority in preventing brain-drain by inviting talented graduates to join public services and contribute in the ongoing mega development programmes of the country. To achieve the goals the government has taken many initiatives, including substantially raising salaries, offering low interest bank loans, drastically improving housing for officers and other lucrative facilities to encourage talented graduates to apply for jobs at home.
Many talented graduates are said to be joining public and private organisations taking the opportunities of the offers by participating in the country’s development. Md Nurul Amin, Secretary, Ministry of Planning, said, “The government has taken various measures to discourage talents from pursuing career abroad.”
As the country is heading towards development in all sectors at an indomitable pace to establish Bangladesh as a ‘Sonar Bangla’ as dreamt by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, it needs qualified, skilled and efficient manpower. Md Nurul Amin said that the government has already enhanced salaries and allowances of public servants by 125 per cent in order to discourage the brain drain.
“Earlier, the qualified, skilled and meritorious youths were not interested in joining public services due to low salaries. But the scenario has been changed as the government high ups get sufficient salary and facilities.” Amin feels and hopes that the situation would gradually change as the public service salary packages are now more lucrative and hence those planning to pursue job abroad may give it a second thought.
He said in the current pay-scale, an officer who joins government service after passing the BCS examination gets a basic pay of Tk 22,000 in addition to house rent in accordance with the areas of residence and medical reimbursements. The previous basic was Tk 11,000. “The latest fringe benefits include housing loans at lower rate of bank interest and credit for purchasing motor vehicles. Officials with the rank and status of deputy secretaries are entitled to such loans. Earlier, only joint secretaries used to enjoy car loans,” the secretary said.
Apart from these facilities, the planning secretary added that the government officials are also getting allowance while they take part in any seminar, symposium and other events. There are many opportunities for professional income as well for those talents who join public services.
“Besides, when the government officials conduct mobile court, they are also paid handsome allowances. Many travel abroad for bilateral meetings or seminars where allowances are paid with honour while availing facilities like free accommodation, travel and food. These initiatives have been largely taken to prevent brain drain and encourage qualified, skilled and meritorious youths to get engaged in developing the country’s economy,” Nurul Amin said.
Earlier, mentioning that the country’s energy sector would need 1,000 efficient engineers in the next five years, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid said that the country is not getting qualified engineers as lucrative jobs are available abroad.
It is sad though that some qualified, skilled and talented youths are not showing interest in the country’s ongoing development projects.
It is noticed, otherwise, foreign experts and professionals, especially engineers have been occupying various positions working in different development projects in the country, sending a huge amount of foreign currency, according to sources.
Despite efforts to prevent brain-drain some highly qualified youths after graduation prefer to travel to the West in search of better life. Countries like USA, UK, Canada, Australia and many countries in Europe are on their priority list. There is a general trend that students who top in their higher education having rich academic background from different prestigious universities like University of Dhaka and BUET and Dhaka Medical College opt to work and make living abroad.
In the face of such a situation both private and public organisations concerning education, health, energy, planning, finance and other sectors are facing serious difficulties to get qualified teachers, physicians, engineers, researchers, economists and resource persons. Talking to Bangladesh Post on Sunday academicians while giving their views urged the government to take immediate steps to prevent the brain drain in order to give the talents opportunities in contributing to the nation’s ongoing development works.
Serajul Islam Choudhury, Professor emeritus at the University of Dhaka, Abu Ahsan Mohammad Shamsul Arefin Siddique, former Vice-Chancellor of University of Dhaka, Professor Iftekhar Uddin Chowdhury, Vice-Chancellor, University of Chittagong echoing the same views said that it is time to discourage the country’s talented students from going abroad. Those who go abroad to pursue higher education, should be motivated to come back and serve their own country, the experts said.
The government agencies do not have specific statistics on the number of foreign nationals working in Bangladesh. However, according to different private organisations, the number of foreign professionals might be more than five lakh and an estimated $5 billion flows out of the country annually for them.
There is a huge difference between a local person being in a responsible position and a foreigner being there. More talented persons of the country can be used for its development if the government pays more attention, the experts pointed out. The developed countries like USA, Australia, Canada and Europe are taking away country’s meritorious students, offering them with opportunities for higher education with attractive job packages.
On the other hand, Dhaka University former VC AAMS Arefin Siddique told Bangladesh Post, “We have to imagine the world as a global village. Anyone can go to any country in the free market policy. It is natural that a person will go to that place where he can enjoy maximum benefits.”
“Therefore, it is natural that foreign nationals will come to our country and our students will go abroad in free market policy”, Arefin Siddique said.
