The youth of the country don’t want to live and earn livelihood in the country. The intention is same to both male and female youth. According to the experts, the youth of the country are leaving it in pursuit of better facilities and secured life in abroad. Some of them are going for higher studies, while others for working opportunities; however, the number of people returning to country is decreasing gradually.
The number of students going abroad for higher studies is increasing day by day. In last 10 years, this number was increased more than twice. Lack of quality education and research opportunities, uncertainty of employment, limited scale salaries, low standard of living are some of the reasons identified behind this propensity of going abroad.
According to the recently published UNESCO report, a total of 52,799 students have moved abroad from Bangladesh in 2023. In 2013 this number was 24, 112 and in 2008 it was 16, 609. 49, 151 students left Bangladesh for higher education in 2022, which was 44, 338 in the previous year i.e. 2021. According to the latest report titled 'Global Flow of Tertiary-Level Students' published by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) regarding higher education destinations abroad, the United States has become the top choice among Bangladeshi students in receiving higher education abroad. 8, 524 students went to USA from Bangladesh in last one year. Apart from this, 6, 586 students left Bangladesh for UK, 5, 835 for Canada, 5, 714 for Malaysia and 5, 046 to pursue higher education. Furthermore, 4, 987 left for Australia, 2,082 for Japan, 2, 606 for neighboring India, 1, 202 for Republic of Korea and 1, 190 students left for Saudi Arabia for pursuing higher education.
According to the country's education stakeholders, better quality education opportunities abroad compared to Bangladesh are encouraging students to leave the country. Apart from this, foreign higher education institutions are interested in students who would search various types of scholarships in higher education. According to them, the exodus of talented people can be stopped by improving the quality of the country's higher education institutions and creating job opportunities for the youth in the country. Educationists in the country say that students going abroad for higher education and taking up higher education are apparently sending a positive message. But the non-return of most of these students or not being able to create any good opportunities for them in the country is leading to a threat to the future of the country.
In this regard, former Vice-Chancellor of Dhaka University and Chairman of University Grants Commission (UGC) Emeritus Professor Dr. AK Azad Chowdhury told The Bangladesh Pratidin, "If students can go abroad for higher education, there is nothing wrong with that. In this case they will also send remittance for the country. However, if everyone wants to lean towards this, then the country will suffer a great loss in the long run.”
He further said, "We have to keep this in mind that innovation is needed to move the country forward. So it will definitely be good for the country if the talented people return. But no one can be retained by force. In this case, government and private arrangements should be made so that those who are going abroad get suitable work and respect according to their qualifications when they return. If you want to keep young talents in the country, you have to make the universities world-class and increase the allocation for research. Attention should be given to the development of technology and creation of suitable job environment.”
Rajshahi University’s Population Science and Human Resource Development Department Professor and Controller (Acting) Dr. Md. Ashraful Islam Khan said, “The talented students of the country are going abroad due to getting good scholarships and high facilities. One of the reasons for this is good quality laboratories and salary structure abroad, which is relatively low in the country. Attracted to these subjects, the exodus of talented people into higher education is on the rise and most are choosing to stay there. The country is constantly losing quality students and researchers. But it's true, we can't create ample opportunities as it is not possible to give the salary and facilities that these talented people expect according to their qualifications in the country. As a result, a disparity remains. However, there is some improvement in the private sector. But that too can be said to be comparatively insufficient.”
Junaid Mokaddes, who is studying in the PhD program at the University of California in USA, said, "Our social hierarchy is that if someone is studying in the higher education institutions of the country, including Dhaka University, he should get a BCS or first class government job. But not everyone gets a government job. Many people are not even interested in it. And there is no guarantee of employment in the private sector. So, many of the youth are forced to migrate abroad.”
In this regard, Foreign Admission and Career Development Consultant Association of Bangladesh (FACD-CAB) General Secretary Gazi Tarek Ibn Mohammad said, "Compared to past, the number of students going abroad for higher education has increased. Youth are going to study at universities in different countries of the world because of the urge to do something for the family, to build a career out of the middle class people's ability. Students are able to use this opportunity due to the increased intensity in giving visas to developed countries including UK, Australia. Most of the students who go abroad are settling there for careers. These students have a role in sending remittances. Their honorable position is also useful in branding the country.”
(The report was published on print and online versions of The Bangladesh Pratidin on March 25 and rewritten in English by Lutful Hoque Khan)
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