Doctor imposter jailed in port city

A mobile court during a drive at South Patenga Bijoy Nagar area in the port city on Monday sentenced a person impersonating as a doctor to six months of imprisonment and fined him Tk 1,00,000.

The court, led by Executive Magistrate Tahmilur Rahman, conducted the drive at Ayesha Medical Pharmacy where one Bikiran Barua was seeing patients. He pretended to be an MBBS graduated doctor, said a press release issued by the mobile court.

Members of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab-7) assisted the drive.

Contacted, Tahmilur said Bikiran had been illegally practising at the pharmacy for three years.

“On information, a senior official of Rab-7 took his appointment as a patient. Bikiran asked him to come to his chamber on Monday evening,” said Tahmilur.

“When the mobile court asked Bikiran about his registration number issued by Bangladesh Medical and Dental Association (BMDC), Bikiran gave a number that could not be found on the BMDC website,” he said.

“We asked him which medical college he studied at. In reply, he showed us some printed certificates of a so-called medical college in India. He also introduced himself as an appointed doctor of Chattogram Customs House. We contacted customs house officials and confirmed that he was not appointed there,” he added.

The court also sentenced Faridul Alam, owner of the pharmacy, to three months of imprisonment and fined him Tk 50,000 for selling adulterated and date-expired medicine.