Speakers at a webinar urged the government and private sector entrepreneurs to hire the non-resident Bangladeshis (NRBs) in different projects offering them proper value and facilities to utilize their expertise. 

They made the call at the virtual seminar titled: “Energy Sector HR Development:Can NRB Professionals Support?”, organised by Energy and Power magazine on Saturday. 

They observed that foreign nationals are being appointed in many public and private projects at higher value. But NRBs, who have expertise on technical matters, are not offered with due value and facilities. 

“If they are offered with proper value and due facilities, they would be interested to return home to utilize their expertise”, said Prof Dr M Tamim, eminent energy expert and special assistant to former chief advisor of caretaker government. 

Dr. Tamim, also a professor of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), expressed his resentment over the deteriorating situation in the educational institutions in the country in regard to expressing opinions on different technical issuers. 

“We cannot discuss anything with an open mind. Universities are the places to discuss with open mind. But that places are being run with political identity”, he observed. 

He said that experts have to think of political line while making opinion on technical issue. “Why don’t we talk in a transparent manner?” We have to bring change in this area”, he said.

The virtual seminar was also addressed by expatriate Bangladeshis Prof Firoz Alam, Prof Jahangir Hossain, Prof Tapan Saha, Saleque Sufi, and Power Cell Director General Mohammad Hossain while Energy and Power editor Mollah Amzad Hossain conducted the function. 

Dr Tamim said Bangladesh’s education sector is also lagging behind in producing quality graduates as the local industry owners don’t find right candidates when they try to recruit from locally educated persons.

He said BUET has taken a programme to make a huge change in its educational structure to produce outcome-based market-oriented workforce. 

“You will see a big change within next 2 years”, he added.