5 more DNA labs to be set up

He mentioned that the first DNA Lab of the country has been set up at Dhaka Medical College in cooperation with the women and children affairs ministry.

The minister was speaking as the chief guest at `Forensicon-2006', a national conference on forensic medicine, at the Biam auditorium in the city.

Over 400 physicians attended the conference, organised by the Medicolegal Society of Bangladesh, an organisation of forensic medicine specialists.

Dr Mosharraf said steps would be taken to strengthen the research activities and to groom physicians skilled in forensic medicine for ensuring effective progress of medical science.

With this objective, a post-graduate course on forensic medicine has been introduced and a modern morgue established at the Chittagong Medical College, he said.

Besides, the minister said, there is also a plan to introduce post-graduate course on forensic medicine at the divisional level medical colleges.

State Minister for Health Mizanur Rahman Sinha, DG of Health Department Prof Dr Mohammad Shahadat Hossain, among others, also addressed the function, chaired by Society President Prof Dr Anwara Begum.

Prof Dr Nurul Islam (posthumous), Prof Dr Aktaruzzaman (posthumous) and Dr Mohammad Mazharul Islam, now working at the WHO office in Nepal, were honoured at the function in recognition of their special contributions to forensic medicine.