DHAKA, May 14, 2025 (BSS) - Health Sector Reform Commission (HSRC) has recommended ensuring good governance in medical education. 

"A comprehensive, policy-based and structural reform is essential to achieve international standards and improve the quality of medical education and meet public health needs along with achieving international recognition,” said the commission.

The members of the commission submitted the report to the Chief Adviser at the State Guest House Jamuna on Monday. 

The report expressed concern over the current medical education in the country. 

It suggested evaluating academic programmes of medical colleges and universities according to global standard of world federation for medical education.

Considering academic evaluation of medical education, it is a must to reorganize the number of institutions and seats, it said.

Educational structure will have to be improved by introducing five-day academic week, increasing student engagement and reducing the workload of teachers, the commission report added.

It said that the government would create opportunities to bring back expatriate Bangladeshi student to their home country. 

It is necessary to harmonize the curriculum of FCPS, MD, MS courses and promote postgraduate medical education to international standards by ensuring mutual recognition at home and abroad.

The recommendations said that Bangladesh Medical University (BMU) was turned into politically influenced, corrupt and biased organizations. “To overcome the situation, initiatives have to be taken for restructuring the universities through high-powered, non-political and professional committees,” it said. 

The government is spending crores of taka every year in this university. However, its progress in achieving the desired goals and international standards is not visible. 

Therefore, a new structure must be created by involving skilled, experienced and impartial individuals at the administrative, academic and policy-making levels.

The Medical Education Wing, as the central regulatory body for medical education, should be developed as a competent and internationally-standard institution based on public health needs.

The recommendations said, “Bangladesh Medical University and other medical university-affiliated hospitals will be managed through their own Board of Governance instead of direct administrative control to ensure transparency and efficiency in policy-making and management level.”

It further said that the Postgraduate Medical Wing of the Bangladesh Health Commission will publish a public advertisement for the appointment of Vice-Chancellor, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Treasurer of the University to improve quality of medical and health education in the country.

This advertisement will set specific qualification and experience criteria so that only qualified and experienced candidates can apply for those posts, it added. 

According to the recommendations, the post of vice-chancellor will be a minimum of 10 years of experience as a professor in university, seven years of experience for pro vice-chancellor and treasurer and preference will be given to candidates with a PhD degree.

Applicant's academic leadership, active participation in research activities, 10 international research publications for the vice-chancellor candidates, seven for the pro vice-chancellor and treasurer and administrative skills will be verified, it said. 

The commission also recommended that retired persons will not be eligible for the appointment against the post of vice-chancellor, while applicants must be an active teacher in the university.

It said that University Grants Commission (UGC) will deal appointment of vice-chancellors temporarily until Bangladesh Health Commission is formed.

The recommendation stated that the UGC will form a search committee based on the prescribed qualifications, which will scrutinize and select a shortlist from among the applicants.

Later, the list will be sent to the President, who will appoint a suitable candidate to the posts of vice-chancellor, pro-vice-chancellor and treasurer in accordance with the constitution.

The government formed a 12-member Health Sector Reform Commission headed by Professor Dr AK Azad Khan, President of the Diabetic Association of Bangladesh, in November 2024.