Vacant Medical Seats Spark Controversy Over Alleged Bribery and Missed Opportunities
Currently, Bangladesh hosts 67 private medical colleges, with 61 designated for male students and all 67 open to female students. The seat capacity across these institutions varies widely, ranging from 50 to 155 per college, culminating in a total of 6,293 seats.
For the academic year 2024–2025, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) allocated students to these colleges based on merit and preference. Selected candidates were required to confirm their admission by agreeing to enroll in the assigned college, and if later upgraded through migration, to also accept the newly assigned college. Upon conclusion of the confirmation phases for both the first and second rounds of allocation, students paid the government-fixed fees and began their studies, with classes officially commencing on June 17 through an orientation organized by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
Despite having enough eligible candidates, 467 seats remain unfilled. This shortage represents a missed opportunity for many aspiring students, denying them the chance to pursue their dreams of becoming doctors. It also deprives the nation of much-needed healthcare professionals. For private medical colleges—dependent primarily on tuition fees—this shortfall signifies substantial financial loss, which may ultimately hinder the provision of quality education.
Private medical colleges have advocated that, since a large number of qualified candidates remain unadmitted, the responsible authorities should reopen the admission portal for fresh applications. This demand for reactivation of the online admission portal was rejected by the concerned branch of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
According to sources familiar with the issue, senior officials at the ministry and DGHS were initially open and sympathetic toward reopening the portal. However, allegations have surfaced suggesting that senior officials of the Bangladesh Private Medical College Association (BPMCA) began collecting bribes under the guise of facilitating this process.
Under condition of anonymity, the owner of a private medical college on the outskirts of Dhaka alleged that BPMCA’s current General Secretary, Professor Dr. Md. Moazzem Hossain, announced a fundraising target of BDT 10 million. Once these allegations of extortion reached relevant government offices, the officials decided against reopening the portal.
A responsible source close to the decision-making authorities explained that their reluctance stemmed from a desire to avoid being linked to the alleged corruption, which could tarnish their reputations. The BPMCA leadership has long faced accusations of bribery—soliciting large sums from colleges in exchange for approval or increased seat quotas, only to misappropriate the funds while giving a token portion to influential officials.
Further investigation reveals that Dr. Md. Moazzem Hossain, General Secretary of BPMCA, owns East West Medical College in Dhaka, established in 2000, with a seat count of 127. President M.A. Mobin Khan owns International Medical College in Gazipur, also established in 2000, with 130 seats. Treasurer Md. Habibul Haque owns Tayrunnesa Memorial Medical College in Gazipur, established in 2001, with 105 seats.
In contrast, much older institutions such as Gonoshasthaya Samaj Vittik Medical College (established in 1998) have only 50 seats, the Institute of Applied Health Science in Chattogram (established in 1989) has 80 seats, and Medical College for Women in Dhaka (established in 1992) has 95 seats.
