Reza Mahmud :
Huge grouping among the physicians and teachers create a massive anarchy at the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University(BSMMU), the lone medical university in the country.
Such conflicts of higher officials have collapsed the chain of command, leading to a complete mess that affects holding of class regularly. The chaos also mounts.the patients’ sufferings as the doctors did not follow their duty rosters in the hospital.
“Grouping among Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Kamrul Hasan Khan and Pro-VC (Education) Professor Dr. ASM Zakaria Swapan and more three sub group makes the BSMMU paralyzed,” said a physicians’ leader, preferring anonymity.
Insiders pointed to various conflicts of interest that created the grouping. The conflict between the top boss and the second-in-command first came public in last January on appointment of 200 nurses, evolving a controversy.
Since then, the situation is gradually worsening. The top officials of the BSMMU, pro-Awami League doctors organisation, Swadhinata Chikitsak Parishad (Swachip) and Bangladesh Medical Association leaders are involved in this grouping. When contacted, Professor Dr. ASM Zakaria Swapan told The New Nation yesterday, “There is no problem in the educational systems at the university. I try to work together with other officials. I cannot say anything about the medical service of BSMMU Hospital. The VC and Pro-VC (Admin) are liable to control the sector.”
The teacher and doctor leaders blamed that some influential groups are involved in corruption through employment business and procurement process. The deprived officials are now react to such graft by violating duty rosters. Apart from these, the leaders are also involved in showing up muscle power, some alleged.
While talking to this correspondent, some attendances of the patients admitted there blamed the doctors and nurses for the existing stalemate in the hospital.
“The doctors and nurses have not been found in round to beds timely. If we ask for any help from the nurses, they react harshly. They want to check our gate pass. But it is unusual to check gate pass every moment. We are fed-up,” said Gita Rani Das, preferring not to name her patient.
Besides, the medical students also expressed their unhappiness over irregularities in their class routines.
“We have been victimised by the teachers’ grouping,” said one student, preferring anonymity.
The neutral doctors and officials said they are embarrassed by the chaos.
“We are really embarrassed when we see the broken chain of command at our renowned university. We are disappointed that the anarchy is gradually going beyond control,” said one of them.
When contacted, the VC Professor Dr. Kamrul Hasan Khan told The New Nation, “Some conspirators are making false allegations against me. There are no irregularities at the BSMMU. Everything is sound.”
But the former Pro-VC, Professor Dr. Rashid-E-Mahbub said, “We feel pity about which is going on in BSMMU now. The high officials of the institute are also teachers. If they found anything wrong, they should solve that through discussions. But they are involved in wrong activities. The government should intervene to solve the crisis soon.”
Earlier, Health Minister Mohammad Nasim told a group of journalists that the government would solve the problems of BSMMU after consulting with the higher officials.
