New med school gets nod amid teacher scarcity

Thakurgaon Medical College first of many in pipeline

Tuhin Shubhra Adhikary

The BNP government has approved the first public medical college in its current term, with plans for setting up seven more colleges underway, as several recently established medical colleges struggle with a lack of teachers and infrastructure.

On May 15, the health ministry approved the establishment of Thakurgaon Medical College, taking the total number of government medical colleges to 38.

The order signed by Health Secretary Md Quamruzzaman Chowdhury takes effect immediately, meaning the college authorities are likely to begin admitting students from the upcoming academic session.

The approval process, however, bypassed the recommendations of the Health Sector Reform Commission formed by the interim government.

In its report submitted last May, the commission suggested that independent experts should thoroughly assess the necessity and feasibility of establishing any new medical college.

Between 2010 and 2020, the Awami League-led government established 20 public medical colleges, with many of those approvals made on political grounds, officials said.

The then administration had also increased seats by 1,030 for the 2023-24 session, a move widely criticised for being made without proper assessment despite shortages of teachers, infrastructure and laboratory facilities.

After the fall of the Awami League-led government in August 2024, the interim government sharply criticised the earlier expansion and announced plans to rationalise seats to uphold academic standards.

Subsequently, in November last year, the health ministry reduced a total of 355 seats across 14 government medical colleges, though new allocations elsewhere brought the net cut to 280 seats.

The interim government, however, in January this year gave conditional approval for the establishment of a new public medical college in Munshiganj, saying academic activities could begin only after the necessary infrastructure had been developed.

Two advisers to the interim government from the district played a key role in establishing the medical college, according to health ministry officials.

Then, on April 22, Health Minister Sarder Md Sakhawat Husain told the parliament that the government is planning to establish medical colleges in seven more districts.

A health ministry official said another district was recently added to the list, taking the total number of medical colleges under process to eight, including the one in Thakurgaon.

A Directorate General of Medical Education (DGME) team has already submitted assessment reports on proposed medical colleges in Narsingdi and Brahmanbaria to the health ministry.

The ministry sent back the report on the Brahmanbaria medical college due to issues related to land, the official said, requesting anonymity.

The DGME was also asked to assess the proposals for medical colleges in Sherpur, Laxmipur, Narsingdi, Natore, Bhola and Joypurhat.

Save for Joypurhat, the proposals for medical colleges came to the health ministry during the interim government’s tenure.For instance, Mahfuj Alam, the information adviser, wrote to the health ministry seeking a medical college in his hometown, Laxmipur.

After the BNP came to power, Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee, water resources minister and a lawmaker from the district, also pushed for the medical college.