A group of doctors studying for diploma, MPhil and MPH courses at medical colleges and institutes affiliated to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) were not paid their allowances since July 2023.
Only those attached to government medical colleges and institutes received their allowances.
Doctors studying for five-year courses at BSMMU-affiliated autonomous and private medical colleges or institutes are not getting their allowances since July 2023.
And doctors studying for two-year courses at autonomous and private medical colleges affiliated to BSMMU were not paid their allowances since December, 2023.
They have to borrow or bring money from home to continue their studies.
Many of them have been struggling to manage family expenses. It has been impacting their academic as well as family lives.
In the face of doctors' demand to increase of the allowance to Tk 50,000 in July 2023, BSMMU increased the monthly allowance to Tk 25,000 from Tk 20,000.
Since then, only doctors attached to public medical colleges and institutes received the allowance.
Doctors said they are not allowed to go for private practice while studying.
"First of all, there is a rule that we can't join any other hospital to earn during studying. Secondly, there is no time for that after working 60 hours a week in the attached hospital," said Dr Md Mamunur Rashid who is doing Diploma in Child Health (DCH) at Dhaka Community Medical College.
Dr Mamun said he did his MBBS and later internship in 2020. After completing his studies, Mamun, sole bread winner of a family that includes his mother, wife and only child, started earning by providing service at a private clinic to shoulder his family expenses.
"When I was enrolled in DCH course in July 2024, the biggest headache was how I would manage my family expenses for the next two years. We all know how costly it is to live in the capital with a family. I demand to the authorities to pay the arrear and current allowances on time ," Mamun told the Daily Observer.
Dr Mahmudul Hoque who has been studying for the DCH course at Chattogram Mao-O-Shishu Hospital said, he had to pay Tk 50,000 for the admission.
Leaving his family which includes his mother, wife and a daughter in Feni, Mahmud is now staying at a mess in Chattogram city.
"I'm struggling to spend my days with no income," said Dr Mahmud, adding, "I now need to borrow or bring from my home. How could we treat patients for hours in the hospital when I need to worry about my bread and butter?"
Dr Mahmud said the allowance is very low and non-payment of allowances on time has increased my burden.
Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA) leaders also expressed concern over the matter.
BMA General Secretary Dr Ehteshamul Haque Chowdhury Dulal told reporters, "Tk 20,000 for MBBS doctors is actually very little. Now that the prices of goods have increased, it is difficult to survive with such low allowance. Surviving has become difficult for them without allowances for months."
He urged the BSMMU authorities and the Health Ministry to solve the matter urgently.
Despite calls over phone, this correspondent found BSMMU Vice Chancellor Prof Deen Mohammad Noorul Huq unreachable.
However, former BSMMU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr. Sharfuddin Ahmed told reporters in March that he was trying to ensure that the non-resident doctors get their allowances on time.
