A week into his promotion, Dr Mahfuzar Rahman, principal of Rangpur Medical College (RMC), has been made Officer on Special Duty (OSD) amid ongoing protests.

The health ministry issued a notification yesterday, saying Mahfuzar has been made OSD and attached to Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

Associate Professor Dr Shariful Islam Mondal from the department of medicine has been made as acting principal of the medical college.

Vice Principal Mahfuzar was promoted to the post of principal on October 29 and from the next day, a protest started across the campus demanding his removal.

Doctors at Rangpur Medical College and Hospital carried out a two-hour work abstention yesterday, demanding Mahfuzar's resignation.

They warned of a complete shutdown beginning if their demand is not met by today.

The protesting doctors accused Mahfuzar of securing his post through "fascism" and influencing forensic reports related to the death of student Abu Sayed under the previous AL-led government.

They claimed that, in his former role as the vice principal, Dr Mahfuzar opposed student-led anti-discrimination efforts and pressured examiners to alter the forensic report on Sayed's death following a police action near Begum Rokeya University in July.