Editor's Pick

Muzharul Islam and his spaces of belonging

14 July 2026, 00:02 AM In Focus

Who protects women in Bangladesh's gig economy?

14 July 2026, 00:05 AM Unheard Voices

Dhaka: How a city was planned to drown

12 July 2026, 17:12 PM Big Picture

11 dead over the World Cup: The real problem is not football

13 July 2026, 11:00 AM Views

How Bangladesh should respond to China’s proposed corridor

12 July 2026, 00:00 AM Geopolitical Insights

Barisal medical college runs without forensic expert

Autopsy delayed, private taxidermists rule morgue

8 February 2009, 18:00 PM

NATIONAL

Rafiqul Islam, Barisal

Acute manpower crisis at forensic medicine department of Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College (SBMCH) is hampering academic activities and causing much delay in conducting autopsy of dead bodies. The posts of one professor, one assistant professor, four lecturers and one medical officer of the department have been lying vacant for long while Assistant Professor Dr Habibur Rahman, who was in-charge of forensic section at SBMCH, and Lecturer Mafia Arefin have been recently transferred from here. The situation is causing various problems including hampering classes for students, doing autopsy of dead bodies, taking on the spot examination of the victim, sending viscera to Dhaka and giving witness before the trial court. Now left without any forensic expert, the department is facing serious problems in conducting post mortem of dead bodies in cases of unnatural deaths. Post mortem reports of the bodies of Nupur, who reportedly committed suicide, and another person who died on February 6, could not be given as of yesterday, SBMCH sources said SBMCH sources said officially there is no post of dome or taxidermist in any public hospital of the country. However their works are done through unofficial private arrangements as their service is urgently needed during autopsy of dead bodies. Shibu, Basanta and Babu, three members of dome community, work here privately as taxidermist and take Tk 400 to 1000 for autopsy of a body from relatives of the victim. Heavy rush is seen at the morgue of SBMCH, the largest health service provider in the southern region, as dead bodies from six districts of Barisal division and Shariatpur, Madaripur and Gopalganj districts of Dhaka division are often sent there for forensic examinations, hospital sources said. As unnatural deaths and murder are recorded as 'police case' and dead bodies are handed over after post mortem, the grief-stricken relatives have to wait for long time to receive the bodies after autopsy due to the manpower shortage. Dr Zahid Hossain, principal of the college, and Dr Abdul Khalek Shikder, deputy director of the hospital, told The Daily Star that higher authorities are well informed about the situation but filling of the nine vacant posts remain uncertain.