Mosharraf Hossain reportedly had a master's in philosophy. But he is a 'doctor' by profession, being a successor of his late father Raqib Uddin, who also had no degree in medicine.

Mosharraf, 52, had been 'practicing' for more than 25 years as a 'specialist' in different parts of the capital and also in Chittagong. He even performed surgery on patients with piles, fistula and anal-fissure complexities before he was sent to jail yesterday.

'Piles Care' is his main chamber located at Chankharpool, just yards away from Dhaka Medical College Hospital. He also runs two other chambers -- one at Lalbagh in Dhaka and the other at Jan Super Market at Kadamtoli More in Chittagong.

Patients paid himTk 500 as visiting fees and Tk 5,000 to Tk 15,000 per surgery. On average, Mosharraf earned more than Tk 10,000 every day.

Hailing from Muradnagar upazila in Comilla, he lived in Malibagh Chowdhurypara in the capital. He has a son and a daughter who are students of two private universities.

Talking to The Daily Star, Mosharraf said he obtained a master's degree in philosophy from Jagannath College, now Jagannath University, in 1986 and started 'practising' as a doctor.

"Although my father, who died in 2004, had no degree, he practised as a homoeopathy doctor. Besides, he was an expert in piles, fistula and anal fissure," he said, adding, "I entered this profession being a successor and follower of my father."

When asked, he admitted that he had been running the business illegally and that it was a huge risk for patients as he operated on them.

A visit to 'Piles Care' set up on the first floor at 21/1

Nababkatra in Chankharpool revealed at least 15 patients in the waiting room.

The patients said they had gone to Mosharraf seeing his signboard and never suspected that he was a fake doctor.

Mousumi Akhter from Shariatpur, who came to Mosharraf along with her husband, said they first went there on Wednesday and paid Tk 500 as visiting fee, Tk 980 for tests and Tk 300 for medicines.

She said she paid another Tk 500 yesterday as visiting fee and Tk 12,000 for operation costs. "I am not sure whether I will recover. But the doctor has assured me that I will be all right once the operation is done, "she added.

Qatar expatriate Abdul Mannan from Gazipur said he paid Tk 8,500 for surgery on Wednesday in addition to other expenditures.

A mobile court yesterday jailed the fake doctor for two years. It also fined him Tk 2 lakh, in default of which he has to spend three more months in prison.

The court also sealed off his chamber and seized all its moveable property.

Executive magistrate Anwar Pasha, who led the mobile court aided by Rapid Action Battalion, said Mosharraf had been running the illicit business for 25 years. He purchased a certificate from India on piles, fistula and anal fissure although he has no academic background.

The magistrate said the fraudster was arrested earlier on November 6,2006 for the same offence and was sent to jail. But he came out of jail two days later on bail and resumed his illegal activities.