Dhaka: The interim government has announced a special initiative to address the shortage of doctors in remote areas by recruiting 2,000 doctors through a special Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) examination. Dr Md Sayedur Rahman, a special assistant to the chief adviser, revealed this plan during a press conference at the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Dr Sayed confirmed that letters have already been dispatched to the Ministry of Public Administration regarding this initiative. The government has also suggested raising the age limit to 34 years specifically for doctors wishing to sit for the BCS examinations. Despite the recruitment of 3,463 doctors through the last three regular BCS examinations (45th, 46th, and 47th), the government plans to recruit an additional 2,000 doctors to address the urgent need in remote areas.
Dr Sayed also discussed the government’s effort to introduce a standardized salary structure for doctors working in private institutions. He acknowledged the challenges in creating a uniform pay scale due to geographical variations in the institutions where doctors, their assistants, and nurses work. Nonetheless, a proposal for a minimum salary structure for private doctors is underway, with discussions planned with the owners of private medical service institutions to finalize the minimum salaries.
The government aims to announce the proposed salary structure soon, which Dr Sayed emphasized would be determined after thorough discussions. The initiative reflects the government’s commitment to improving healthcare access and working conditions for medical professionals in Bangladesh’s private sector.