They also identified some factors that often discourage the migrants to come back home -- such as little scope for quality education and lack of better job opportunities, healthcare facilities and technological development.

However, the present trend of establishing private universities, transnational companies and NGOs is creating opportunities for the expatriate academics, observed the migrants who returned home after a stint abroad.

The two-day international workshop on 'Sustainable return of professional and skilled migrants' was organised by the Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit (RMMRU) in cooperation with Development Research Centre for Migration, Globalisation and Poverty at the Brac Centre in the city.

"People always want to go back to their root, and feel satisfied with their efforts to contribute to the welfare of their own people," said Dr Omar Rahman, a professor of Independent University, Bangladesh, who was once a migrant in the USA.

M Mushtaque Habib of North South University said it is very difficult for a person staying abroad for a long time to come back home and adapt to the new situation, especially when the children are brought up and educated in a different cultural environment.

Yet it is possible provided the overall political and economic situation remains sound, he observed.

Prof Jamal Nazrul Islam of Chittagong University chaired a session on 'Experiences of return of academics and other professionals'.

He suggested that the skilled nationals living in different countries must come back home to form a strong civil society in a bid to bring a positive change to every sphere of society.

Presiding over another session, former advisor to a caretaker government Rokia Afzal Rahman said the education of a person must be goal-oriented and the goal should be to bring a positive change to the society.

Noted fashion designer Bibi Russel, filmmaker Tareque Masud, Cat's Eye Chief Executive Officer Sayeed Siddiqui, Bazlur Rahman of Bella Italia and Little Italy, banker Muztaba Mojumdar and performer Habib Wahid shared their experiences abroad and the success they achieved in the country after their return.