Bangladeshi citizens spend over $5 billion annually on medical treatment in various countries around the world, said Bangladesh Bank (BB) Governor Ahsan H Mansur today (15 December).
Bangladeshis mainly go to India and Thailand as the healthcare systems in these countries are much improved than the local healthcare system, he said while addressing a workshop.
However, the money they are spending outside the country is taken unofficially and that is creating a huge pressure on Bangladesh’s balance of payment, he said.
His comments highlighted the growing trend of medical tourism among Bangladeshis, as many individuals travel abroad for specialised treatments not readily available or affordable in the country.
The event, titled “Cross-Border Data Flow: A Bangladesh Perspective”, was organised jointly by the Policy Research Institute (PRI) and the World Bank at a hotel in Dhaka.
Addressing the workshop, the central bank governor suggested a legal framework for data processing so that data can easily be shared both locally and across borders.
