Dhaka Medical College authorities have announced the indefinite suspension of all academic activities, citing ongoing safety concerns.
Students have been instructed to vacate their dormitories by Sunday afternoon, June 22. However, hospital operations will continue as usual.
The college issued a formal notice on Saturday, following an emergency meeting of the Academic Council. According to the notice, the suspension aims to address the current situation at the college.
Students appearing in professional MBBS examinations and international students are exempt from the closure.
Students have been protesting in recent weeks, demanding the renovation of the college’s academic buildings and residential halls, which they have described as structurally unsafe.
Since May 28, the first-year MBBS students, known as the ‘K-82’ batch, have been boycotting all classes and examinations, joining senior batches in their call for immediate action.
They also abstained from participating in the orientation program as a sign of solidarity.
Students reported that the third-floor washrooms and ceilings of Fazle Rabbi Hall frequently shed plaster, creating a hazardous environment.
Many windowpanes are broken, and during a previous storm, an entire window grille collapsed, injuring a student. Several rooms on the third floor are in extremely unsafe conditions.
On June 6, students released a public statement describing the life-threatening risks inside the dormitories. They specifically pointed out that Fazle Rabbi Hall, the Girls’ Hostel, and several academic buildings have essentially become death traps.
The Public Works Department had declared Fazle Rabbi Hall uninhabitable and abandoned seven months ago, yet students continue to live there under dangerous conditions.
The statement warned that the situation is so critical that a disaster similar to the Rana Plaza collapse or the Jagannath Hall tragedy could occur at any time, which would be a national disgrace for the country’s healthcare sector.
