Over 100 medical officers are likely to be promoted to the post of junior consultant at the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) today.
A proposal on the promotion will be placed at the syndicate meeting for final approval.
There are three more agendas to be discussed at the meeting but the issue of promotion will come up more prominently.
According to the BSMMU act, there is no option for promotion of medical officers.
A group of medical officers loyal to Awami League-backed doctors’ organisation Swadhinata Chikitshak Parisad (Shachip) allegedly forced the authorities to make the decision.
Professor Dr Ruhul Amin Mia, Pro-VC (education) of the BSMMU has denied the allegation.
He, however, acknowledged the fact of promoting 100 to 115 medical officers.
“All these medical officers have been working here for the last 10-15 years. They are very much competent to serve as junior consultants. We want to consider their cases on humanitarian ground, not on anything else. If the syndicate approves the proposal they will just get the promotion but their salaries and other benefits will remain unchanged.”
Around 600 doctors are serving as medical officers who are alleged to have been recruited on political considerations during the tenures of both Awami League and BNP governments.
Seeking anonymity, one of the high officials of the BSMMU said: “We already have 1,100 resident physicians who are actively providing service to the patients. The quality and knowledge of those doctors are much better than medical officers.”
At present most of the medical officers do not have much to do at the BSMMU. Few of them are working at the outdoor section with specialist doctors. A large number of medical officers are involved in doctors’ politics.
The issue concerning retirement age will also be figured out at the meeting. At present the retirement age at the BSMMU is 57 whereas it is 59 in other universities.