A number of physicians have been excluded from regular promotions. At the same time, several hundred physicians were not promoted to supernumerary positions. The health ministry has stated that those who were not promoted have allegations against them. In reality, the health sector is still struggling to free itself from political influence.
In some cases, physicians have seen their promotions cancelled by the ministry after receiving promotions and joining their new posts. Seven such physicians said they do not understand why their promotions were revoked, calling it an injustice. The ministry, however, claims that these promotions were made in error.
Political division has weakened the country’s health sector. From 2009 until 5 August of last year, the pro–Awami League physicians’ organisation Swadhinata Chikitshak Parishad (SWACHIP) maintained dominance in the health sector.
Members of SWACHIP or Awami League–leaning physicians held key positions, including director general, principal, director, superintendent, and project director. They were also given preference in matters such as obtaining leave, going abroad, or receiving research funds.
During those 15–16 years, members of the Doctors Association of Bangladesh (DAB)—aligned with the BNP—and the National Doctors Forum (NDF)—aligned with Jamaat-e-Islami—remained side-lined. Similarly, left-leaning physicians and those with no political affiliation often did not receive timely promotions, due opportunities, or recognition.
Many believe that similar injustices are still occurring. It is not right to promote or deprive physicians, or discriminate against them, based on their political affiliation. This harms healthcare and medical education, and the general public ultimately pays the price.
To address stagnation in hospitals and medical colleges, the health ministry has begun promoting about 7,500 physicians to supernumerary positions.
A supernumerary promotion means promoting more physicians than the number of available posts. For example, if there are 10 posts in a department like Medicine or Surgery, but 15 qualified physicians, all 15 may be promoted—even though only five positions are vacant.
Professor Abu Zafar, director general of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) and a member of the promotion committee, told Prothom Alo that the process to promote 7,500 physicians across 82 specialties is underway, adding that there is no precedent for such a large-scale promotion in the ministry’s history.
On 27 October, Health Secretary Md Sayedur Rahman told Prothom Alo, “Some of the physicians who did not get promoted have allegations against them, and those allegations will be investigated. Besides, if anyone believes their documents were complete but they still did not get promoted, they can inform us. The process is not yet finished.”
Why they were left out
After the fall of the Awami League government on 5 August 2024, following the mass uprising, new officials were appointed to various offices, including the DGHS. Principals of public medical colleges and directors of government hospitals who were SWACHIP members or Awami League supporters were removed.
Many pro–Awami League or SWACHIP-member physicians in government service were transferred from major cities to district or upazila hospitals, some were made officer on special duty (OSD), and a few were sent into forced retirement.
According to the Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council (BMDC), there are 134,000 registered physicians in the country. Some have died, while others are abroad. About 34,000 physicians are currently in government service.
A source said that SWACHIP has around 13,000 members, about 40 per cent of whom are in government jobs. Their names and profiles used to be listed on the SWACHIP website, which is now inactive.
One physician whose name appeared on that list told Prothom Alo that he was transferred from Dhaka to a district posting after the change of government. He claims to have been denied promotion despite having the required qualifications.
Over the past two to three months, the health ministry has promoted 768 physicians to regular vacant posts, while 130 physicians were denied promotion—most of them were listed as SWACHIP members.
Meanwhile, the ministry has also begun granting supernumerary promotions in nearly 70 specialties. In the field of Gynecology, 592 physicians were promoted to assistant professor positions, while 285 eligible physicians were excluded.
Likewise, at least 12 physicians were denied promotion in areas such as colorectal surgery, ENT, nephrology, thoracic surgery, and dentistry.
The DAB has 3,149 members, and the NDF has 6,000. Sources in the medical community say that DAB and NDF members are not facing difficulties in getting promoted. However, there are allegations that some leaders of DAB and NDF have pressured the ministry to block promotions of SWACHIP members.
At least three officials in the ministry said that various professional societies—such as the Medicine Society and OGSB—were actively involved in including or excluding names from the promotion list. Some DGHS officials also reportedly played roles in this process.
When contacted, Professor Harun Or Rashid, president of DAB, told Prothom Alo, “We have not officially submitted any list to the ministry asking for anyone to be excluded from promotion. Since a large number of promotions are being processed at once, there may be some errors, which the ministry will hopefully correct.”
Professor Nazrul Islam, president of NDF, said he has also received complaints that some of their members were not promoted. He told Prothom Alo, “I think the ministry’s work is being done properly. We have not tried, nor are we trying, to influence the promotion process.”
Too ashamed to go anywhere
Several physicians who were denied promotion contacted Prothom Alo, claiming they were unfairly excluded. Many of them have been visiting the health ministry regularly, meeting with the health adviser, the chief adviser’s special assistant, and the health secretary, requesting reconsideration. Some have sought help through influential individuals.
On the afternoon of 27 October, two physicians from Chittagong Medical College Hospital and one female physician from Sylhet came to meet the health adviser.
One of them said she had worked nine years at an upazila hospital. When she joined Chattogram Medical College Hospital in 2019, she was obstructed on the grounds that she was not a member of Swachip or affiliated with Awami League politics.
Now, her promotion has been denied on the grounds that she is a SWACHIP member. “My female student has been promoted and placed above me. I’m too ashamed to go to college or even face my family.”
Another physician whose name appeared on SWACHIP’S list told Prothom Alo that many physicians were forced to become SWACHIP members during the Awami League regime. Some may not even know that their names were included on the membership list or website.
When asked about this, Health Adviser Nurjahan Begum told Prothom Alo that evidence has been found showing that some physicians claiming not to be SWACHIP members had actually paid Tk 50,000 in membership fees to the organisation.
The seven in trouble
On 22 October, the health ministry issued a circular promoting 599 physicians to supernumerary assistant professor positions in the field of Gynecology and Obstetrics. A day later, the ministry revoked the promotions of seven of them without giving any explanation.
This correspondent spoke with one of the affected physicians and the guardians of two others. They said these physicians were humiliated by the reversal.
One of them said the physicians did not even apply for promotion themselves but were eligible. The ministry did not consult them before granting or cancelling the promotions, leaving them embarrassed and ridiculed by colleagues.
Health Secretary Md Sayedur Rahman told Prothom Alo those seven physicians had been promoted by mistake.