Bangladesh Dental Health Society Comilla District Branch organized a scientific seminar and discussion meeting last Friday (November 3) at Fun Town auditorium in Comilla city.
It was presided over by MD Shahajan, Senior Vice President of Central Committee of Bangladesh Dental Health Society and President of Comilla District Branch, who spoke as Chief Guest, President of Central Committee, Dentist Harunur Rashid Aurang, spoke as Chief Negotiator, Mohammad Khaled Mochannah and Incepta spoke as special guests. Pharmaceuticals Limited Assistant Sales Manager Mohammad Amirul Islam, Bangladesh Dental Health Society Central Committee’s Vice president Md gulam Kibria, Central Committee Senior Joint General Secretary Abdul Rahim, Joint General Secretary Nazmul Islam, Lakshipur District Committee President Mo Salim and General Secretary Sumon Chowdhury.
Bangladesh Dental Health Society Comilla District Committee’s General Secretary Dentist Kazi Md Nasar Uddin and Bangladesh Dental Health Society Central Committee’s Media and Communication Secretary Dentist Md Billal Hossain conducted the seminar and discussion meeting. Mohammad Limon Bhuiyan conducted the scientific seminar as a special guest.
Speakers said, ‘‘There are pass certificates from public university medical faculties and technical boards, but no professional accreditation. Self-employment opportunity for about 2000 graduates who have passed 4-year B.Sc in Health/Medical Technology (Dental) course and 3-year Diploma in Dental Technology under Bangladesh Technical Board affiliated to Faculty of Medicine of Dhaka, Rajshahi and Chittagong University. Nor are there any private practice opportunities. They are disoriented as there is no opportunity for work even from the certificate. Only one policy was enough to employ these graduates and diploma passers in the health sector. Stakeholders have agreed with them on this issue at various times. But no one took responsibility for the solution. Even if there is a result certificate, it is of no use. On the one hand, there is no employment opportunity in the country, on the other hand, there are many obstacles to go to the outside world. On the one hand, the government is talking about the promotion and spread of career-oriented education. On the other hand, despite having professional skills, about 12 thousand students did not take any initiative for recognition.
Meanwhile, despite having passed from the university and technical board, only because the course is not included in the schedule of Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council (BMDC), everyone is suffering from the frustration of not getting the opportunity to practice professionally despite having qualifications. Even after a long time, even in the field of government jobs, all these graduates have not yet been given any opportunity in the dental profession. Even though there is a huge demand for these trained manpower in the outside world, they are being deprived only because of the lack of professional approval i.e. BMDC recognition.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health while officially approving the courses directs the course to be affiliated to BMDC and comply with the conditions. BMDC decided to schedule the course but no action was taken by BMDC.
When the students went on strike, the Health Department formed a 9-member committee. The committee made two recommendations on 30 January 2013. Send one letter of recommendation to BMDC and another to Registrar of Dhaka, Rajshahi and Chittagong Universities. The letter sent to BMDC recommended that the B.Sc in Health/Medical Technology dental course be approved by BMDC and granted private practice registration and the letter sent to the University recommended that the existing ‘Course Title’ of the course be changed to ‘Bachelor of Dentistry’ or ‘B.Sc in Dentistry’. is Later, when the recommendation sent by the Department of Health was withdrawn for no reason and without explanation under the pressure of the Bangladesh Dental Society, the BSC-Dental Association filed a writ petition before the Hon’ble High Court. In the judgment of this case, the Department of Health declared the withdrawal of the two recommendations illegal and directed the state party and the BMDC to implement the two recommendations.
On the other hand, according to Section 14(2) of the Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council Act-2010, if the name of any institution providing dental education qualification degree or diploma located in Bangladesh or located outside Bangladesh is not included in the schedule, the said institution or the person holding the said degree or diploma will not be eligible under this Act. An application must be made to the Council for accreditation. After application to the Council for accreditation, the Council shall review the curriculum of the applicants, verify the prescribed criteria in accordance with sub-section 4 of Section 14. Later, repeated applications were made following these rules of BMDC Act. But they didn’t take it into consideration. Even though there is talk of checking the criteria according to their rules, they have not taken steps to implement it. Finally they rejected the petitions by giving a vague interpretation bypassing the main content of the petitions of the petitioners. In the application, institutional and organizational steps were taken to include the BSC dental course in the schedule, but the dental council evaded its responsibility by misinterpreting the word ‘technology’ attached to the BSC dental course title and labeling the clinical curriculum as technologist.
However, as per Section 15 of the present Act, after completion of medical training for a period of not less than three years provided by any medical institution located in Bangladesh or outside Bangladesh, the holder of medical diploma will be eligible to be registered with the Council under this Act. Besides, only after passing SSC, they are legally practicing medicine and midwifery by completing 3/4 year course in Medical Assistant from Bangladesh State Medical Faculty and obtaining private practice registration certificate from Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council.
However, even after obtaining the 4-year professional dental degree of the university, BMDC is depriving the rights of the graduates with various excuses and purposefully under the influence or instigation of the vested interests.’’
Also was present at the event, Central Committee Vice President Riaz Uddin Mithu, Office Secretary Belal Miyaji, Finance Secretary Md Sharif Khan, Religious Affairs Secretary Md Monirul Islam, Deputy Organizational Secretary Mahfuz Raihan Bachchu, Deputy Student Secretary Utphal Chandra Singh, Member Mahmudul Hasan Noman and Member Md. Rajab Ali.
Also, Comilla District Committee’s Senior Vice President Md Hasan Kabir, Vice President Tarifur Rahman Bhuiyan, Joint Secretary General Monirul Haque Bappi, Finance Secretary Pintu Kumar Roy, Office Secretary Md Farhad Hossain, Organizing Secretary Md Zakaria Chowdhury, Assistant Organizing Secretary Israfil Roni, Women Secretary Nazmun Nahar, Deputy Women Secretary Sajeda Sultana Sweety, Publicity Secretary Mehdi Hasan, Member Sadakat Hossain, Mahmudul Yachin, Sah Alam, Samsun Nahar Sumi, Momena Akhtar Lipi, Mahfuz Raihan Raju, Pradiv Halder, Sumon Mitra, Mamun Hossain, Md Meskat Hossain, Bappi Majumdar, Sabuj Sutradhar, Russell Mia, iren Akter, Nahid Hasan Mamun and others attended the event.
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