Dhaka, Feb. 10 -- A new OECD report gives us a useful opportunity to look more closely at the extent of skilled-worker migration from Bangladesh to advanced economies. The report, International Migration Outlook 2025, compiles comparable data on international migration across Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries. It also covers the movement of doctors and nurses, which is especially relevant for Bangladesh. The purpose of this article is to use the report to place Bangladesh's experience in context, both in relation to its South Asian neighbours and to broader global trends.

According to the OECD, around 4,900 Bangladeshi doctors or physicians were working in OECD countries in 2020-21. This is more than d...