Fifteen students from Aichi Medical College, a private institution in the capital, say they are grappling with an uncertain future due to ongoing irregularities and alleged corruption by college authorities. Despite being established some years ago, the college has yet to secure approval from the Ministry of Health, leaving students in limbo, they say.
At a press conference held at the Jatiya Press Club on Sunday, the students voiced their concerns, accusing the college of obstructing their attempts to transfer to other institutions. Although the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) recently issued a no-objection certificate (NOC) for student migration, the students claim the college is creating roadblocks to the process.
In a written statement, Israt Jahan, one of the affected students, revealed that they have been boycotting all academic activities since June 2023 in protest. According to her, the college authorities admitted by August 28 that they were unable to secure the necessary ministry approval. “The authorities said they had no objections to our migration but have since become indifferent,” she added. Students have submitted the required documents for migration to the Ministry of Health, yet the college is allegedly delaying the process.
Another student highlighted that the college had failed to comply with conditions imposed in 2017 under the Private Medical College Establishment and Management Policy-2011 (amended). As a result, the Ministry temporarily halted the MBBS course from the 2017-18 academic year. While the college challenged the suspension in court and resumed enrolling students in 2018-19, those students have neither been registered by the Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council (BMDC) nor recognized by the DGHS.
Students further alleged that some faculty members are offering incentives to persuade them to remain at the college, despite its unresolved status.
Frustration among the students is growing as they feel their academic lives are slipping away due to the college's mismanagement. Many come from middle-class families and are determined to pursue their dreams of becoming doctors, which they say requires uninterrupted study.
The students have urgently called on the Directorate General of Health Services and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to intervene and ensure a smooth migration process, safeguarding their academic futures.