Private medical admission fees increased by Tk3.24 lakh

The government has increased the admission fees for undergraduate medical courses in private medical and dental colleges by 17 percent.

After this increment, each admission-seeking student will have to pay Tk19.44 lakh, around Tk3.24 lakh more than the previous admission fee. Since 2018, the admission fee was Tk16.20 lakh.

The new fee will be effective from the next academic year (2022-23) upon approval from the Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council, according to a circular published on the website of the medical education wing of the health ministry today.

The decision was taken as per the proposal of the private medical colleges at a meeting at the ministry on February 9 presided over by Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque, the circular read.

The internship fees, however, have been kept unchanged at Tk1.80 lakh and the monthly tuition fee at Tk10,000.

An expert, however, has denounced the decision to hike the admission fees.

"Majority of the families in our country are not capable of bearing this cost. As a result, students from rural areas will be deprived of medical education despite being meritorious. This is also disadvantageous for the nation," Dr Mozaharul Haque, former senior adviser of the World Federation for Medical Education told The Daily Star.

Among the South Asian countries, the scope for medical education for the financially weak students is slim in Bangladesh as the majority of the medical colleges are non-government, he said.

There are a total of 7,355 seats in 87 non-government medical and dental colleges while 4350 seats in 43 government medical colleges (including six colleges run by Bangladesh Army).