Brain Drain Dilemma, Innovation Imperative

A significant number of Bangladesh’s talented engineers continue to settle abroad after pursuing higher education and professional advancement, a trend that Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md. Asaduzzaman has described as a major concern. He emphasized the need to expand opportunities for research, innovation, and technology-driven employment within the country to retain skilled professionals.

“The tendency of our talented engineers to move abroad must be reduced by creating an environment where their knowledge and innovative capabilities can be utilized for the country’s development and industrialization,” he said. “The government is placing importance on increasing employment opportunities, expanding technology-based education, and implementing innovation-friendly policies to achieve this goal.”

The minister made the remarks as the chief guest at the closing ceremony of the “IEB Job Fair and Project Competition 2026” held on Saturday evening.

His speech highlighted a long-standing challenge in Bangladesh’s engineering sector—the migration of highly skilled engineers overseas. While the fair created opportunities to connect job seekers with industry, the minister noted that the future ability to retain talent would largely depend on the country’s success in expanding research opportunities and high-quality technology-based employment.

“Bangladeshi engineers have consistently played a leading role through their intelligence, wisdom, dedication, patriotism, and professional competence,” he said. “However, one of the country's major challenges is that many talented engineers choose to settle abroad after acquiring higher education and advanced skills. Retaining this skilled workforce is essential for the nation’s development, industrialization, and technological advancement.”

The minister noted that the proposed national budget for the current fiscal year has given the highest priority to the education sector, with special emphasis on technical and technology-based education.

He urged engineers to contribute to the country’s progress by driving technological innovation, industrial development, and agricultural modernization from within Bangladesh.

“Our goal is to create a working environment where engineers can apply their talents and creativity to national development,” he said. “Opportunities in innovation, research, and technology-driven employment will be expanded further.”

Emphasizing transparency, accountability, and cost efficiency in development projects, the minister said projects funded by taxpayers’ money must be planned and implemented with the highest level of responsibility. He also stressed the importance of keeping development expenditures reasonable and economical.

He further noted that Bangladeshi engineers are making valuable contributions to the construction of modern, safe, and environmentally sustainable infrastructure. Their role in ensuring earthquake resilience, safety standards, proper ventilation, natural lighting, and environmental considerations in building design is highly commendable, he added.

The event was attended by students from various universities and educational institutions, early-career and experienced engineers, representatives from industrial organizations, and other stakeholders.

Job Fair as a Platform for Connections

The ceremony was presided over by Engineer Mohammad Riazul Islam (Riju), President of the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB) and Chairman of RAJUK.

He said job seekers look for employment opportunities while organizations seek qualified and skilled professionals. Therefore, effective alignment between employer requirements and candidate competencies is essential.

According to him, engineers who submitted their CVs at the fair demonstrated strong potential, while participants in the project competition showcased innovative capabilities that could contribute to the country’s technological advancement.

IEB Honorary General Secretary Professor Dr. Engineer Md. Sabbir Mostafa Khan said the initiative was designed to facilitate the first employment opportunities for newly graduated engineers and strengthen their professional foundations.

37 Companies, 500 CVs, Immediate Recruitment

According to IEB, a total of 37 organizations participated in this year’s job fair. Around 500 engineers submitted their CVs to various employers.

Among the participating organizations, 18 conducted on-the-spot interviews, with some candidates receiving immediate appointment letters. Many others were placed on shortlists for future recruitment opportunities.

Engineer Niaz Uddin Bhuiyan, Convener of the Job Fair and Project Competition Management Subcommittee, said the event not only helps create employment opportunities for engineers but also supports the development of creativity and technical skills among students.

The project competition featured 33 teams from universities across the country. Based on the judges’ evaluations, BRAC University secured first place, followed by CUET in second place and KUET in third. Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology finished fourth, while MIST and BAU jointly secured fifth place.