SANGSAD BHABAN, July 5, 2023 (BSS) - Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today told 
the Parliament that massive employment opportunities and suitable academic 
atmosphere ensured by the present government is 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 tabled question from ruling party, Awami League 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 to work 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 the talented people 
through 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 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, 
prioritizing merit in all recruitment processes, 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 modernization 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 disrupt 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 in abroad is one of the drivers behind 
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 of ruling party lawmaker Afzal Hossain, elected from 
Kishoreganj-5, the Prime Minister 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 in 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 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 of 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.