Emeritus Appointment Revoked, Professor Ordered to Repay Benefits

The Bangladesh Medical University (BMU) has revoked the lifetime appointment of renowned physician Professor Dr A B M Abdullah as Emeritus Professor and directed him to return the salary and allowances he received under the appointment from 20 June 2024.

The decision was announced through an official order signed by BMU Registrar Professor Md Mostafa Kamal on Tuesday. According to the order, the university concluded that the appointment had been approved through a procedure that did not comply with the institution’s governing rules.

The order explains that during the university’s 92nd Syndicate meeting in 2024, a syndicate member proposed amendments to the ordinance governing the appointment of Emeritus Professors. The same meeting subsequently approved the amended ordinance and immediately granted Professor Abdullah a lifetime Emeritus Professorship. The university has now determined that modifying the ordinance and approving the appointment within the same syndicate meeting was procedurally irregular and contrary to established regulations.

On that basis, BMU declared the appointment, originally approved at the 92nd Syndicate meeting held on 20 June 2024, to be invalid and formally cancelled it. Alongside revoking the appointment, the university instructed Professor Abdullah to refund all salary and financial benefits received under the Emeritus Professor designation from the effective date of the appointment.

The decision marks a significant development involving one of Bangladesh’s best-known physicians and medical educators. Professor Abdullah served as Dean of the Department of Medicine at Bangladesh Medical University and has long been recognised for his contributions to clinical medicine, medical education and academic publishing. He also served as the personal physician to former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina before her removal from power during the mass uprising.

Responding to the decision on Thursday, Professor Abdullah expressed disappointment over the manner in which the appointment had been withdrawn. Speaking to Prothom Alo, he said he had devoted five decades to the medical profession and nearly the same period to teaching medicine. Throughout his career, he added, he had sought to serve patients and the wider public with dedication.

Professor Abdullah also noted that his medical textbooks are used both in Bangladesh and abroad, and argued that the Emeritus Professorship had been awarded on the basis of his professional qualifications and longstanding academic contributions. He pointed out that he had received numerous honours during his career and maintained that the process through which the appointment was cancelled was inconsistent with proper principles of governance. Despite the controversy, he said he hoped the decision would not diminish the professional reputation he had built over decades of service.

The university’s action highlights the importance of procedural compliance in academic appointments. While BMU has cited regulatory irregularities as the sole basis for its decision, Professor Abdullah maintains that the recognition reflected his professional merit and that the manner of its withdrawal raises questions about institutional fairness.