In Bangladesh today, a troubling reality is taking shape: the country’s brightest young people increasingly dream of building their futures abroad. This migration trend, often termed “brain drain,” is not just a matter of seeking better jobs but an escape from the country’s economic and social challenges.
With unemployment soaring, wages lagging, and opportunities scarce, many see leaving as their only chance of dignity, growth and stability. Unless something changes, the exodus may cost Bangladesh more than it can afford.
The rising tide of migration
The numbers tell a stark story. According to UNESCO, the number of Bangladeshi students studying abroad has more than tripled over the past 15 years. Meanwhile, a World Bank survey shows nearly a 10% rise in educated unemployment in the past decade.
According to the Bangladesh Bureau of Educational Information and Statistics (BANBEIS), every year, more than one million students graduate in Bangladesh, but the job market is too shallow to absorb them.
What was once seen as a temporary move for education is increasingly becoming a permanent relocation. For many, the thought of returning home to poor salaries and limited career paths feels like giving up on their ambitions.
Tanzidur Rahman Nakshatra, a 24-year-old undergraduate student studying Business Administration, shares that dissatisfaction with the work culture and poor payment systems are the key reasons behind his desire to leave.
“The education system is outdated, and getting a decent job feels like finding a goldmine,” he says, citing the increasing pollution and stressful lifestyle as additional burdens. For him, even if salaries and safety were improved, the deep-rooted cultural issues in Bangladesh would still make it difficult to thrive.
Frustration runs deep
“The job market is broken,” says Zunayed Kabir, a third-year student of Business Information Systems. “The pay is too low, and even entry-level jobs demand a master’s degree. Add nepotism and corruption on top of that, and your worth doesn’t matter. Why should I waste my potential here?”
Others echo the same despair. Outdated education, lack of merit-based hiring, and a culture of favoritism leave young people feeling suffocated. Even those with passion and skills see no clear path forward at home.
The dream of better opportunities
If frustration is the push, opportunity abroad is the pull. Countries in Europe, North America, and East Asia promise not just higher salaries but environments where merit matters and systems function.
“In Bangladesh, research opportunities are still rare,” says Samin Kamrul, a first-year biomedical sciences student with dreams of advancing in neuroscience. “I want to be in labs that are equipped, where I can collaborate across fields. That’s not possible here.”
The gender gap adds another layer. Women in Bangladesh continue to face barriers to safety, workplace harassment, and career advancement. For many from educated, middle-class families, foreign countries offer not just better jobs but also greater independence and security.
Take the example of Ridwaan Rahman Raim, a 23-year-old studying the Barrister Training Course in the UK. “Here, you can earn a minimum wage and still sustain yourself or your family,” he says. “The system works. People follow the law. Life runs smoothly. It’s not about money alone, it’s about quality of life.”
Family ties and cultural guilt
Yet leaving is never a simple decision. For many, ambition collides with attachment.
“I love Bangladesh, and I’m proud of where I come from, but I feel stuck sometimes,” says Kamrul. “I tell myself that gaining experience abroad could eventually help me return and contribute.”
Some parents encourage migration, seeing it as the only way for their children to thrive financially. Others urge their children to return. Raim’s parents want him back in Bangladesh, but he admits the choice is not easy. “It’s not guilt; it’s more of an inconvenience,” he explains. “I have to decide if being with my loved ones is worth sacrificing a better life.”
What would make them stay?
Youth are clear on what needs to change. Their wishlist is simple but urgent:
- Decentralise Dhaka to reduce congestion and improve opportunities across the country.
- End nepotism and corruption so jobs go to the qualified, not the connected.
- Fund research and education to match global standards.
- Guarantee safety and security, especially for women.
- Create a system that works- faster approvals, fair hiring, and less red tape.
“Until then,” says Kabir, “why should anyone ruin their life here when they can grow abroad?”
The end note
This mass departure has serious consequences. For decades, Bangladesh’s economy leaned on remittances, mostly from low-skilled workers in the Middle East. But today’s migration looks different. The young people leaving now are doctors, engineers, scientists, and lawyers and many have no plans to return.
Countries like India and China once faced similar exoduses but turned the tide by investing in human capital and creating incentives for talent to return. Experts argue Bangladesh must do the same to shift its focus from remittance dependence to building an economy that can keep its brightest minds at home.
