**Paradoxically, the prospect for Bangladeshi emigrants, despite the fact they are quite talented and hardworking, looks very grim. The Consular Office of the US, of late, is trying to discourage the prospective applicants in all possible ways.

I HE spectre of joblessness. uiKcrtaint* and bleak future in the country k«»n* like a thund erhead on the horizon fraught with desperation. The frantic search for job outside the country continues unabated Restiurant* draw ing rooms, small get-together parties, clubs buzz wfth excited talk of emigration.

Tired of the years of economic privation, lack of means to make a living at home’ and frustrating environments in the country. millions of Bangladeshis are lining up at foreign consulates, manpower agencies — fake or real — for job outside and often, if possible, to flee the country for good. This emigration syndrome, unlike in the past, is not limited to intellectuals alone. Everyone in the country, even in the remotest village, is engaged in a Ixh pursuit for a sponsor-certificate from relations or friends staying say. in the US as a permanent citizen that entitles him for an interview at an inflated fee of $200 per person. Titis trend of massive emigration must be viewed with increasing concern for this country, which is making strenuous effort to chart out a place on the world map.

For this fledgling democracy, it means an exodus of talents, brain-drain and a loss of productive labour force and thus weakening of the reform measures and viability of the nation — econonuc and intellectual.

Small wonder, peopfe haunted by despair, disillusionment, deprivation, poverty and social cataclysm, want to flee the country. But did we ever think of the colossal loss of brainpower. and productive entrepreneurs this country will be facing because of the exodus of a vibrant youth force, intellec tually aggressive and potentially useful to the nation.

People leaving the country are not always welcome guests in the countries like the US, Germany, South Korea. Japan, Saudi Arabia, Emirates. Iran and far up to Australia. For many countries, it stirs fears of unemployment and social disturbances that

such an exodus might bring to tlieir not-so-vibrant econo luk-s. In recent Unu-S. many European countries have tightened their immigration proce dure* by imposing exorbitant fees for visa application with no guarantee for entertaining the applk ation.

Tlie scare about the post-communist exodus lias given a jolt to many affluent western countries. Given the limitation.* of resources, even the US. mainly the place where most of the emigres want to go, can hardly absorb all du-se people trying to go there. Estimates for emigration figures for 1992 and onward from Russia only ranged between 6.00.000 and 800,000. Russians themselves joke with a bitter irony. This is not an emigration, this is evacuation”. Despite the fact that the number is very big, these people from East European countries and Russia will not be unwelcome in either Germany or the US. because they are educated, technically knowledgeable, disciplined and not coloured the last at tribute being counted as a high phis point.

Paradoxically, the prospect for Bangladeshi emigrants, despite the fact they are quite talented and liard-working, looks very grim The Consular Office of the US. of late, is try ing to discourage the prospective applicants in all possible ways. But still most Bangladeshis are making relentless efforts to leave the country in search of a better living and better education for their children. Many of these people have even failed to make ends meet with second jobs after their regular w ork either in a office or a firm Hard-pressed by joblessness, and impoverishment, these young men. bubbling with energy and vigour are taking up any job, even

such as hired mastans and agents for drug trafficking, trafficking in children and women and smugglfog along border zones.

But ail these trades' bring about otd} temporary gains and people in side the country art restive. It is common knowledge that every country has its rich and poor classes. But in Bangla-desh the gap between them is espec ially big and is yawning No wonder, the richest, about 10 per cent, of families enjoy a life-style that is highly extra vagant but, on the other side, is an enormous group, so to say about 90 per cent of the popu lation. approaching the despair of Sub-Saharan Africa. But how the situ ation could come to such a sorry pass? Perversely, of course, the rich have helped perpetuate the economic malaise allegedly by such tactics as sending their money to safe havens abroad and dodging taxes that could help ease domestic deficits.

Joblessness and lack of economic activities have bred endemic poverty in the country. In some places, the rich and poor societies exist cheek by jowl The facade of gleaming luxury apartment houses in some areas of the country appear in our view w hile the other group lives amid the stench of urine in the narrow rain-rutted streets close to these villas. Most worrisome to doctors is the widespread malnutrition which is producing a generation of stunted c i tizens. Poverty now embraces even those with skills and jobs simply be cause die value of money lias shrunk. The difference between this class of people and the other is that they (rich) have money that reproduces.

With such a migration fever grip-

ping the country, the brain drain will aggravate the shortagl: of skilled personnel needed at different tiers of tlie administration. A recent survey of Computer professionals found that almost all of them plan to leave. The choice for the would-be emigrants is the US because of the high prospect of employment opportunities there and not so harslier racial tensions that prove to be a sort of deterrents in other countries. Asian countries on the other hand do not offer an attrac five alternative. Singapore and Japan discourage immigration. Taiwan. Australia. Canada & the US welcome only Hong Kong s immigrants who have linaiic ial e xpertise mostly in the 35 to 45 ago group with manufacturing and trading bac kground and have money to invest. Viewed in this respect Bangladeshi immigrants are no welcome guests there, rather a liability for those countries.

Even with money and skills, start ing life over a new country is not easy . Differences in the systems and loss of connections in an alien country- have proved to be a serious handicap. [Aspite all these deterrents people regardless of age are making relentless efforts to be in the US with a keen resolve to make good in their adopted land. It is the "American dream that flaunts tliem all the time.

The final destination of all these emigres differs from profession to profession, although most scientists and engineers prefer to settle in the US. Even in the most optimistic scenario, the US and western Europe will not be able to absorb all the future emigrants. Most Bangladeshis as such, are expressing their interest in such regions as Australia, New Zealand, and other Latin .American countries.. One can also expect that

the oil rich countries of the Persian Gulf will become a popular destina tion for the Muslim population of the Central Asia.

No wonder? the cost of these massive exodus of talented scien tists, engineers, educationists, doc tors and tex hnidan* from the countr* will be very high. Without a shadow of doubt, it will have a tell tale effect on die ecoiKMnk and educational development of the country because of a massive short fall of expert workforce. Despite the fact that this exodus of talents from our country will have a devastating impact on our economy and scientific research, its positive side can hardly be dis counted The new emigrants will contribute immensely to the economic growth, technical progress and cultural development of the host coun tries. As some projections indicate, by the end of 2000, there will be a shortage of some 400,000 engineers and researchers in the US and about 2",000 Ph.D's. In such a scenario, the

inflow of graduate engineers from such countries as Bangladesh, India. Sri Lanka and Pakistan will add to the wealth of that country.

Although the possibility is quite remote, we can expect against all odds that this emigration syndrome might some day usher in an era of prosperity for our < ountry The initial positive effect w ill be thalthe remit tances of these emigres from abroad will help to support the people and the economy back home in the most turbulent period we are i K >w passing through. Most important with the re forms taking roots in the country , many of the emigrants will themselves came back home after a period of stay in the west, bringing back with them expertise, new skills, money and knowledge. This treasure of knowledge that they will carry may help enrich the faltering economy of the country.

Like Italians in the 60 s and Koreans in the 70's they will use < ape tai and experience gained abroad to re vitalise the economy, establish new business and trades at honw as well as help in re structuring tlx edu cational programmes of schools, colleges and universities within the country after the model of the standard colleges and universities abroad