A missed opportunity: Whatever happened to the trend of reverse brain drain

During the charged days of the July Uprising in 2024, Bangladesh's social media pulsed with unusual pledges from its diaspora to return home, accompanied with #ReverseBrainDrain. Engineers in Canada, doctors in the UK, or academics in Australia — all flooded timelines with heartfelt messages: their skills belonged here, to a nation in desperate need of them. 

Then came 5 August. With Sheikh Hasina's long-standing regime toppled, that digital wave of patriotism spilled onto the streets. Fresh graffiti appeared across the country: "The biggest Bangladeshi dream is not to leave Bangladesh, but to reform Bangladesh." 

For a while, it seemed as if the country's brightest minds might truly come back — an unexpected wave of hope promising to transform a nation teeming with aspirations for change. 

There also appeared to be initiatives from the interim government to make this possible. In December, Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Mahmud announced plans for a reverse brain drain initiative through a new government employment platform. The dashboard was designed to showcase CVs of students abroad and expatriate experts willing to return, connecting them with opportunities in both corporate and government sectors in Bangladesh. 

""We will urge corporate organisations, who hire people from abroad, to employ experts from our country currently living overseas. Additionally, special emphasis will be given while hiring them for government jobs as well," the adviser said at the time. 

But one year down the line since the July Uprising, the potential of reverse brain drain is barely visible. 

For example, 35-year-old computer engineer Nazmus Sadat, who has been residing in Europe for the past eight years, had promised to return home. Even after a year, he remains in Europe.

"Because when I made the pledge, seeing many others like me doing the same, we thought we would really see some genuine change. But no — nothing has really changed. I don't think there is enough opportunity for us to come back to Bangladesh and contribute to the nation's cause," Sadat said. 

Dr Mohammed Abdul Baten, assistant professor of Political Science and Sociology at North South University, put it this way that a small number actually did return, particularly those who became involved in government or tied themselves to the post-July reform process. In his opinion, their presence was encouraging, but it also sparked debate about their efficiency. 

"After years away, some struggled to grasp the country's current realities — its governance challenges, socio-economic shifts, and cultural dynamics. As a result, their ideas, shaped largely by Western contexts, often failed to align with conditions on the ground. Beyond government circles, however, there were few real examples of people giving up comfortable lives abroad to resettle in Bangladesh."

He would not call those who came back 'opportunists', nor would he blame those who once spoke passionately about returning but later reversed course when confronted with dysfunctional institutions and slow-moving reforms.

"After July, people expected better governance, stronger accountability, and a clearer democratic direction. Instead, law and order remain fragile, political consensus on reform is elusive, and the economy — though more stable than in the chaotic early days — remains stagnant."

Dr Baten also claimed that this is not unique to Bangladesh; any country experiencing a mass uprising and abrupt transition faces instability and uncertainty. But what makes the situation more difficult today is the global context. 

"With the world economy volatile and international politics increasingly unpredictable — particularly in the Trump era — many Bangladeshis are no longer confident about the future at home. For them, emigration feels less like abandoning hope and more like seeking security in a time of profound uncertainty."

Shariful Hasan, associate director of BRAC's Migration Programme and Youth Platform, also said that over the past year, there has been little to no evidence of reverse brain drain. If anything, more people than ever are now trying to leave the country — some through legal channels, others illegally.

"It's because during the July Uprising, people had high hopes. But then they realised that the reality was different. Even some highly optimistic people now feel they have no future in this country. They are more keen to leave and build a future elsewhere," Hasan said. 

According to him, even though many assume that economic ambitions alone drive migration, that is not the full picture. A stable political environment, good governance, and the need for a peaceful life also play a major role. "Over the past year, the collapse of law and order and the surge of mob violence have further pushed people to reconsider their decision," he added.

This growing trend of outward migration is exacerbating an already challenging scenario. 

The World Bank's "Human Flight and Brain Drain" index rated Bangladesh at 6.7 in 2024, only slightly down from 6.8 the previous year. Bangladesh scored this on a scale of 10 compared to the global average of 4.98, based on data from 176 countries. It placed Bangladesh in 37th position, more than 50 places ahead of neighbouring nations like the Maldives, India and Pakistan, all of which scored below 5.5.

The 2024 Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange reveals that 17,000 Bangladeshi students went to the United States last year alone — the highest on record, marking a 26% increase from the previous fiscal year.

"Recruitment practices hinder progress, with most universities restricting hiring to lecturer positions with strict age caps, preassigning senior roles to internal candidates, and offering low salaries that fail to attract top talent. Without urgent reforms, Bangladesh risks losing its brightest minds."

Dr ATM Badruzzaman, postdoctoral researcher in Taiwan

Overall, student migration has surged over the past few decades. UNESCO estimates that 52,800 Bangladeshi tertiary students studied abroad in 2023 — nearly triple the figure from 2008 — with most enrolled in medicine, engineering, and IT programmes, and only a few intending to return.

A recent British Council study conducted before Bangladesh's 12th parliamentary election but published in November 2024 also revealed that 55% of young people want to move abroad, driven by unemployment, corruption, and discriminatory or authoritarian practices. Among those surveyed, 37% blamed corruption and nepotism as the main causes of joblessness, while 20% cited biased hiring practices. 

Meanwhile, according to the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET), 1.01 million Bangladeshis left for work in FY2023–24. While this was lower than the record 1.39 million departures in FY2022–23, the decline was largely due to shifts in Gulf labour markets rather than improvements in domestic opportunities. 

Even after a student-led mass uprising that toppled an autocratic regime, promises of reform — including modernised curricula, merit-based public sector recruitment, and expanded research funding — have remained largely unrealised. 

Sheikh Nahid Neazy, associate professor of English at Stamford University Bangladesh, said that nowadays, students are desperate to leave the country after completing their bachelor's degrees. 

"Most private university students don't know exactly what they will do abroad, but they know they have to leave Bangladesh by hook or by crook. While a few have concrete plans, most intend to settle abroad because finding a good job here is extremely difficult."

According to Neazy, even starting a business in Bangladesh is now fraught with challenges. Entrepreneurs face a multitude of problems when dealing with government offices for licences and other formalities. 

Public university graduates, meanwhile, often aim for government jobs — preferably BCS positions. From the very start of their university education, many begin preparing for BCS exams. Since it is a long and arduous process, many lose patience and become frustrated. In the meantime, they often end up taking low-paid jobs in the private sector. 

Following the mass uprising, students who had aspirations in July-August 2024 have gradually lost hope. Neazy considers this deeply unfortunate but stresses that the brain drain must be addressed seriously. 

"The interim government must find effective solutions and approach the concept of reverse brain drain positively. Otherwise, mediocrity will undermine the country's economic growth and future," he added. 

But making them a reality will be easier said than done. 

Dr ATM Badruzzaman, a postdoctoral researcher in Taiwan, pointed out that in higher education and research in our country, systemic flaws continue to drive the exodus of talent. He believes that although the July Uprising raised hopes of ending political violence in universities, unrest continues to disrupt academic life. 

"Recruitment practices hinder progress, with most universities restricting hiring to lecturer positions with strict age caps, preassigning senior roles to internal candidates, and offering low salaries that fail to attract top talent," he said. 

Dr Badruzzaman highlighted a specific case in which a Japan-returned researcher at Patuakhali Science and Technology University was rejected due to political bias and systemic issues, warning that "the younger generation is losing faith in our institutions, believing equal opportunities lie overseas, where innovation and hard work can lead to prosperity." 

"Without urgent reforms, Bangladesh risks losing its brightest minds," he concluded.