Staff Correspondent

Public Administration Adviser to the Prime Minister and BNP Standing Committee Member M. Ismail Zabiullah called upon expatriate Bangladeshi professionals and investors to bring their expertise and capital back to the country, declaring that the government aims to reverse brain drain into "brain in."

The Adviser made the remarks while speaking as the chief guest at an exchange-of-views meeting organized by Malaysia BNP and its associate organizations in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Saturday.

He said,following BNP's absolute majority and government formation, state reconstruction and economic reforms under Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's leadership are underway in line with the election manifesto. 

Addressing the gathering, the Adviser urged Malaysian investors, expatriate Bangladeshi entrepreneurs, and young business leaders to invest heavily in Bangladesh, assuring them of full government support.

Highlighting that over 15 lakh Bangladeshis currently reside in Malaysia—including skilled professionals such as academics, technologists, physicians, engineers, and IT experts—Ismail Zabiullah encouraged expatriate specialists to return home and contribute their knowledge toward national development.

He recalled that Bangladesh's manpower export initiative began through the vision of late President Ziaur Rahman. Today, over one crore Bangladeshi expatriates work globally, with their remittances serving as a core driver of the national economy.

Regarding expatriate welfare, the Adviser reiterated government commitments from the election manifesto, including voting rights for expatriates and the introduction of the "Probashi Card." A pilot project for the card is set to launch in July 2026. He noted that policy decisions have been approved to grant cardholders priority airport check-in, boarding, and access to the Balaka Lounge, alongside measures to eliminate airport harassment.

The event was attended by Bangladesh High Commissioner to Malaysia Manjurul Karim Khan Chowdhury, Malaysia BNP President Engineer Badlur Rahman Badal, Senior Vice President Mahbub Alam Shah, General Secretary Mosharraf Hossain, embassy officials, academic delegates, student representatives, and members of the Bangladeshi expatriate community in Malaysia.