Present as special guests were State Minister for Youth and Sports Aminul Haque; Dr. Harun Al Rashid of Doctors Association of Bangladesh (DAB), Senior Vice President and Director of the National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation (NITOR) Professor Dr. Abul Kenan; and President of BMU DAB and Director (Planning and Development) of the university Dr. Erfanul Haque Siddiqui. Chief patron was BMU Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. F M Siddiqui. In the event presided over by Executive President of BSPMR Professor Dr. Md. Taslim Uddin and Head of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at BMU Professor Dr. M A Shakur, keynote remarks were delivered by Professor Dr. M M Zaman and Associate Professor Dr. M A K Azad.
In his chief guest speech, Mirza Abbas said, our space is limited, and doctors are few; again, due to political reasons, the experience of many of our doctors could not be utilized — I have seen this practically. It is possible only in Bangladesh for doctors to become victims of politics; I have not seen or heard it in any other country. From now on, our government must learn that doctors should not become victims of politics, never at any time. He said, ‘This is a BNP doctor’ — is it written in medical books that this is a BNP book? Therefore, let doctors remain doctors. He also said, this applies to us as it should to other governments; today many people are sitting before me who could have become professors long ago and have the qualifications — but it was not possible due to politics. Let this not happen at my hands.
Mirza Abbas said, we will create and increase doctors in this country; we should not have to go abroad. Our country's doctors are working abroad with reputation, but they are not getting opportunities at home. The veteran leader said, I have had a stroke; in the meantime I have gone abroad two or three times — I did not go, they took me. I believe our country's doctors are better than any doctor of any country; but the biggest problem is that, relative to the population, there are few treatment facilities. I am very proud of my country's doctors.
At this time, Mirza Abbas requested that the robotic rehabilitation center of the Super Specialized Hospital not be privatized. He said, recently I became acquainted with the robotic rehabilitation center when I went for my own treatment; I think this center should remain connected with the activities of this medical university — it would not be right to hand it over to any foreign or corporate entity. He said he would discuss the matter with the Prime Minister.
