Rajshahi Medical University (RMU), founded in 2016, is still in the process of establishing postgraduate programs, which are fundamental to a medical university’s mission. Without its own campus, RMU primarily oversees undergraduate education at affiliated public and private medical colleges, as well as nursing colleges and institutes.
A significant project worth Tk 1,867 crore was sanctioned in June 2022 to enhance the university’s infrastructure and construct a 1,200-bed hospital, but construction has yet to commence. The university currently operates with a vice-chancellor, a treasurer, and 80 other staff members but lacks pro-vice chancellors or deans crucial for academic leadership.
Alongside RMU, three other medical universities in Chattogram, Sylhet, and Khulna—established between 2016 and 2021—are encountering operational challenges, leaving Bangladesh Medical University (BMU) as the sole fully operational medical university in the country. These universities were envisioned to elevate medical education, foster research, and produce skilled healthcare professionals.
However, bureaucratic hurdles, project delays, and land acquisition obstacles have hindered the four universities from achieving full-fledged status. Currently, their functions are primarily restricted to conducting examinations and administrative tasks for undergraduate students at affiliate institutions. The absence of pro-vice chancellors and deans, positions that should be filled by their own faculty members, further complicates the situation.
In response to these issues, Health Minister Sardar Md Sakhawat Husain recently held discussions with the leadership of the four universities and BMU, urging them to enhance their academic capabilities. The minister instructed them to outline their challenges in writing and propose ways in which the ministry can provide support.
Prof Liaquat Ali, a former member of the Health Sector Reform Commission, emphasized the urgency of expediting projects to enable the universities to operate fully. Once operational, these institutions can contribute to producing skilled professionals and decentralizing healthcare services, Liaquat noted.
Presently, BMU, formerly known as Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), stands as the only comprehensive public medical institution offering a wide array of postgraduate programs, including MPhil courses, research opportunities, and training since 1998. The university also manages a large tertiary-care hospital in the capital.
Around 2,500 doctors enroll in postgraduate courses at BMU annually. Among the 156,750 registered doctors nationwide, 22,460 hold postgraduate qualifications, as per the Health Bulletin 2024.
Apart from BMU, the Bangladesh College of Physicians and Surgeons, an autonomous professional body, provides postgraduate programs.
Chattogram Medical University (CMU), established in 2016 as the nation’s second medical university, operates from two floors in the main building of the Bangladesh Institute of Tropical and Infectious Diseases. CMU oversees 51 public and private medical colleges, nursing colleges, and institutes in Chattogram division. A significant project worth Tk 1,859 crore was approved in September 2023 to construct 27 buildings, including a 1,200-bed hospital at Fouzdarhat, but construction is pending.
RMU conducts its activities from two older buildings of Rajshahi Medical College Hospital and the first floor of the Regional Nursing and Midwifery Training Institute. A project approved in June 2022 aims to develop infrastructure for RMU and a hospital. The project cost increased to Tk 2,258 crore, and the completion deadline was extended to June 2027.
Sylhet Medical University (SMU), the country’s fourth medical university, has been operating from Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College since its establishment in 2018. While the university has formulated necessary rules and regulations, finalizing its organogram is pending. SMU awaits the completion of a Tk 2,036 crore project approved in July 2023, with a deadline of June 2027.
Khulna Medical University (KMU), established in 2021 as the nation’s fifth medical university, currently functions from a rented house in Khulna city. KMU oversees undergraduate courses at medical colleges and nursing institutes in Khulna division. A Tk 1,874 crore project approved in 2024 aims to enhance infrastructure and build a 1,200-bed hospital by June 2027. Launching postgraduate courses at KMU will be a multi-year endeavor due to the project’s timeline.
