When the students of Dhaka Medical College raised their voices demanding a safe living environment, the administration responded not with empathy or solutions, but by announcing an indefinite closure of the institution and instructing students to vacate the dormitories. This is not only disappointing but also a stark example of how education administrators and policymakers duck responsibility.

More importantly, the current crisis at one of the country’s oldest and most prestigious medical colleges is not a sudden occurrence. It is the result of years of mismanagement and negligence.

The condition of various residential halls at Dhaka Medical College, including Dr Fazle Rabbi Hall, is so dire that students have described living there as “life-threatening”. Buildings that should have long been declared uninhabitable have continued to house students without any alternative arrangements. These buildings suffer from severe water shortages, unsanitary kitchen and bathroom facilities, crumbling ceilings, broken doors and windows, and even incidents of electrical fires. All these issues were well-known to the administration.

In this situation, students made a single, reasonable demand— safe and humane accommodation where they could rest their bodies and minds after enduring the intense academic and clinical pressures of medical training.

In the official notice signed by the principal of Dhaka Medical College, Professor Dr. Md. Kamrul Alam, it is clearly stated that the Academic Council considers the students’ demands to be justified and that they are in regular contact with the Ministry of Health and the Directorate General of Health Education to resolve the issues. This raises a critical question: if the demands are indeed justified, why was the institution shut down in response? Is this an expression of solidarity with the students, or a strategy to silence their voices?

It is often observed that when student movements arise in educational institutions, the administration resorts to closure and eviction tactics to reduce pressure without addressing the root cause of the problem. This approach does not solve anything; rather, it often prolongs the movement and makes it more radical.

When the newly admitted batch K-82 spontaneously boycotted their orientation program, it was labelled a “dark chapter” in the college’s history.

In reality, this should have been seen as a powerful message to the administration. If even the newly admitted students, who usually side with the administration, join the protest willingly, it signals not just discontent among senior students but a systemic crisis. Such a bold move by first-year students is undoubtedly rare. It indicates that the level of mismanagement has become unbearable, prompting students to break their silence.

The notice also stated that despite repeated warnings and provision of alternative housing, students from various batches have failed to vacate the condemned fourth floor of the main building of Dr Fazle Rabbi Hall, which poses a threat to their lives. But the question is— what exactly were those alternative arrangements? Where were these safe accommodations? How many students were to be relocated and where? None of these questions were answered.

Oftentimes, the so-called “alternatives” refer to even worse conditions— empty classrooms, corridors or overcrowded rooms meant for five now holding ten students. In such cases, what the administration calls “non-cooperation”, the students see as “self-defence”.

What is happening at Dhaka Medical College today could very well occur tomorrow at Mitford, Chattogram, Rajshahi or Rangpur Medical Colleges. The infrastructure of medical education has been neglected for years. Given the enormous academic pressure MBBS students have to endure, a stable and healthy environment, both for living and studying, is essential. But successive governments and authorities have failed to address this matter with the seriousness it deserves.

The buildings of Dhaka Medical College are very old, maintenance funds are inadequate, there is an insufficient water and electricity supply in the hostels, and hygienic sanitation is virtually non-existent. Yet, the number of students increases every year. So why has there been no corresponding improvement in accommodation?

Perhaps the most disheartening development is that the crucial accreditation visit by the Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council (BMDC) has been moved from Dhaka Medical College to another institution. This implies that BMDC may have started questioning the standards of DMC. But this is the very institution that produces the country’s top doctors. Without an accreditation visit, international recognition will become harder, and opportunities for postgraduate education abroad, scholarships and research will be jeopardised.

There is no evidence that the administration has sat down with students for direct discussions during this crisis. No joint committee has been formed with protesters, no public hearing has been arranged, and no statements have been issued to the media. Instead, the college was abruptly shut down and students were ordered to vacate the halls, an approach that reflects an authoritarian mindset.

Conflicts and disagreements can arise in any educational institution. But their resolution must come through dialogue and mutual respect. What we see in the Dhaka Medical College case is a contradictory and politically weak stance: telling students, “We accept your concerns, but the college is closed!”

The crisis at Dhaka Medical College is not limited to one institution; it is a warning sign of a deeper collapse in our national medical education system. If future doctors are raised in such conditions, they will suffer mentally, opt to leave the country, and may shift to alternative professions rather than return to serve the people.

This is not just a loss for the students; it is a loss for the general public. Good doctors are essential for a better healthcare system. But to that end, we must first ensure a tolerant, humane and secure educational environment.

It is time the administration of Dhaka Medical College, along with the Ministry of Health and the Directorate of Medical Education, listened sincerely to the students. Let “open dialogue”, not “shutdown”, be the way forward. Let students be relocated only after practical and visible alternatives are in place. Immediate steps must be taken to repair condemned buildings. Policymakers should also ensure that the accreditation visit is brought back to Dhaka.

Let us not allow one of the core institutions of our medical education system to become a “dark chapter” in history because of a student protest.
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The writer is a journalist. He can be reached at [email protected]