The rejoinder said it is not correct that "The country's lone medical university that was established in 1998 with a view to creating efficient doctors and bringing uniformity in medical education across the country is ruined by the corrupt administration."

It stated that FCPS, MD and MS courses are always periodically updated and modernised to maintain a nationally and internationally accepted standard and BSMMU started the residency programme without prior approval by the Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council (BMDC).

It stated that around 25 clinics were established at the BSMMU in his time while hospital beds were increased from 750 to 1200, university departments from 31 to 37, courses from 47 to 54 and a cardiac centre was opened with four departments of cardiology, cardiac surgery, vascular surgery and cardiac anaesthesia.

The allegation that BSMMU Hospital which was established as a centre of excellence turns ordinary is not acceptable, it said.

"Teachers, doctors, nurses and other staffs have been appointed as per rules and regulations of the University. There is no basic difference between the qualities of manpower appointed in our time with those of the then Awami League government's time," said the rejoinder.

OUR REPLY
Prof Hadi did not show any evidence of updating the FCPS, MD and MS courses. He even dissolved the University Curriculum Committee. Then how is it possible to update and modernise the courses?

BMDC approval is not mandatory prior to starting a new programme such as Residency Programme, according to the deputy registrar of BMDC.

Recruitment of the teaching staff and officials was mostly politicised and 3,600 people were recruited during the last couple of years against only 1,600 posts. Violating the university rules, he along with his aides extended the time of retirement for their favourite teaching staff and officials.

He talked of establishing 25 clinics in his period. But most of those clinics had been operating before his taking the charge. Such as Stone Clinic under the Urology Department has been operating for the last eight to ten years. And it does not imply that it makes the BSMMU 'a centre of excellence.'

We did not compare the activities of BSMMU during the period of BNP-Jamaat alliance government with those during the Awami League rule. The report just showed how the activities of the administration in last five years crippled the medical university.

Nowhere in the rejoinder did Dr Hadi refute the points made in our report. We stand by our report.