Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday told the Parliament that massive employment opportunities and a suitable academic atmosphere ensured by the present government are preventing brain drain from the country.
"Creation of massive employment in all sectors and establishment of new universities are preventing brain drain from Bangladesh," she said while responding to a question from ruling party Awami League's lawmaker Habibur Rahman, elected from Sylhet-3, during the prime minister's question-answer session.
Sheikh Hasina, also Leader of the House, said that the talented people are now feeling comfortable working in the country as the government has ensured extensive development of the information and communication technology sector as well as high-speed internet connection.
She said that the present government is highly valuing talented people by awarding them various prizes, scholarships, stipends and providing employment. "The government's steps in evaluating the meritorious person in their respective fields deserve praise," she added.
Mentioning that prevention of brain drain in a real sense is a difficult task in the current era of globalisation, she said brain drain is taking place in all underdeveloped and developing countries. "However, due to the dedication, sincerity and various effective measures taken by the government, the country's brain drain now stands at a controlled level," she said.
To discourage the brain drain, the head of the government said that her government is providing scholarships or stipends to the meritorious, prioritising merit in all recruitment processes, and creating educational opportunities for meritorious students by establishing new universities.
She said that prevention of brain drain is very important to uphold the quick development and modernisation of Bangladesh.
Sheikh Hasina said that meritorious, skilled and innovative talents are usually transferred abroad due to the lack of desired facilities and infrastructural environment, which disrupts the country's progress and economic growth.
She noted that quality of study in higher educational institutions, environment, global acceptance, education, job as well as permanent residence opportunities along with citizenship abroad is one of the drivers behind the brain drain.
"The government is aware of this and that is why it is making efforts to prevent brain drain by creating a suitable environment," she added.
In reply to a query from ruling party lawmaker Afzal Hossain, elected from Kishoreganj-5, the PM said that the government is working tirelessly to ensure orderly, safe and responsible labour migration.
She also informed the House that at present, more than 1.49 crore Bangladeshi workers are working in 176 countries in the world.
The premier said that in the last 12 years, around 81.47 lakh people were confirmed to get jobs abroad in the professional, skilled, semi-skilled and low-skilled categories.
Besides, around one million female workers have got employment opportunities abroad in the last 12 years due to providing them with the necessary training as well as expanding and decentralising the selection of trainees and orientation activities at the district level, she added.
In response to another question from AL lawmaker M Abdul Latif, elected from Chattogram-11, the prime minister said that 473 species of fish have been identified in the Bay of Bengal by research conducted by the Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute. Of these, 11 are new species.
She said the scientists of the institute have so far identified 154 species of seaweed in the Bangladesh sea coast, of which 27 are commercially important, and added that six species of seaweed cultivation methods have been developed through research.
