Dhaka, Mar 12 (V7N) – The High Court has ruled that only individuals with a minimum of a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) or Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) degree can use the title ‘Doctor’ before their name.

A High Court bench comprising Justice Razik Al Jalil and Justice Sathika Hossain issued the ruling on Wednesday after hearing a decade-old writ petition regarding the use of the title by Diploma in Medical Faculty (DMF) degree holders. The court emphasized that those who have misused the title in the past, as well as future violators, will face legal consequences.

The issue dates back to the enactment of the Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council Act in December 2010. In 2013, Shamsul Huda, then convener of the Bangladesh Diploma Medical Association, and others filed a writ petition challenging the law, claiming discrimination against DMF degree holders. Another writ petition was filed last year by the association’s president and secretary questioning the validity of Section 29 of the law.

With this ruling, the court has reinforced the legal distinction between medical practitioners with professional degrees and those with diploma qualifications, ensuring clarity in the use of medical titles in Bangladesh.

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