DHAKA, July 7, 2026 (BSS) - The government plans a new 'Brain Circulation' strategy aimed at engaging highly educated Bangladeshis living abroad in the country's education, research and innovation ecosystem, as part of efforts to convert brain drain into structured knowledge exchange.

The initiative, outlined in the National Budget for Fiscal Year 2026-27 (FY27), seeks to connect non-resident Bangladeshis with domestic institutions to strengthen academic collaboration, research capacity and innovation outcomes.
 
Under the strategy, overseas Bangladeshis with global knowledge, skills and experience will be integrated into national academic and research activities through a range of institutional mechanisms.

These include visiting scholar programmes under which experts from abroad will be invited to teach and conduct research in domestic institutions, as well as joint research programmes linking local researchers and students with international collaborators from the Bangladeshi diaspora.

The initiative also includes internationally recognised credit transfer systems, student exchange programmes and summer schools aimed at improving academic mobility and exposure to global standards.

Through these measures, domestic students and researchers are expected to gain access to international academic and professional experience without leaving the country, while participating in collaborative research initiatives focused on national development challenges.

Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, in his budget speech, said, "We are working to transform 'brain drain' into 'brain circulation'. Initiatives will be taken to engage highly educated Bangladeshis living abroad - who possess global knowledge, skills, and experience - with the country's education and research ecosystem."

He added that the introduction of credit transfer systems, exchange programmes, summer schools, visiting scholar initiatives and joint research programmes would enable students in the country to directly access global academic and professional standards.

The finance minister further said, "The Government will give priority to domestic research and innovation and ensure effective patronage. Our goal will be to arrive at practical and sustainable solutions to the country's socioeconomic challenges."

According to budget documents, the strategy aligns with broader efforts to build a 'Meritocratic Bangladesh', where merit, integrity, competence and professional qualifications are prioritised in governance and public service.

In a significant fiscal boost aligned with this vision, the government has proposed an increased allocation for the education sector to 2 percent of GDP in FY27, amounting to Tk 136,606 crore. In FY26, the allocation was Tk 87,206 crore, equivalent to 1.39 percent of GDP. 

Officials said the expanded education allocation is intended to support reforms in academic infrastructure, research capacity and skills development needed to operationalise initiatives such as Brain Circulation.

The strategy is expected to enhance collaboration between domestic institutions and global knowledge networks, while strengthening national capacity in research, innovation and problem-solving.

Highlighting the broader vision, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury said, "Under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, we wish to build a generation that will not only shape its own future, but will open new doors of possibility for society and the country - a generation that will not wait for opportunity, but will create new employment; that will not merely follow the times, but will lead change."

The strategy is expected to serve as a long-term framework for integrating diaspora expertise into Bangladesh's education and innovation ecosystems.