Professor Dr. Md. Shahinul Alam Appointed as the New Vice-Chancellor of BSMMU

Professor Dr. Md. Shahinul Alam Appointed as the New Vice-Chancellor of BSMMU

Professor Dr. Md. Shahinul Alam, the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Academic) of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), has been appointed as the acting Vice-Chancellor of the institution. The announcement was made in an official order issued today, December 4, by the Health Education and Family Welfare Division of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

The order, signed by Mohammad Kamal Hossain, Deputy Secretary of the Health Education Division, stated that the position of Vice-Chancellor became vacant following the appointment of Professor Dr. Md. Sayedur Rahman as a Special Assistant with the rank of State Minister. This appointment, gazetted on November 10, 2024, transferred his executive powers to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

As per the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Act, 1998, Section 13, Professor Dr. Md. Shahinul Alam, the senior-most Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Academic), has been appointed as the acting Vice-Chancellor until further notice.

A Distinguished Career

Hailing from Ramganj Upazila in Lakshmipur, Dr. Md. Shahinul Alam has faced various professional challenges under the current government over the last 15 years. Despite these adversities, he has made significant contributions to the field of hepatology.

Dr. Alam is a leading scientist in the area of Metabolic Associated Fatty Liver Disease (MAFLD/NAFLD) in Bangladesh. In 2020, he contributed to developing clinical practice guidelines for diagnosing and managing MAFLD in the Asia-Pacific region, collaborating with scientists from 29 countries, including Australia, Japan, China, Singapore, South Korea, India, and Pakistan.

He holds an FCPS in Medicine and a Doctorate of Medicine (MD) in Hepatology. Dr. Alam is also an esteemed member of the Global NASH Council, a prominent organization of hepatology scientists based in the United States.

Research and Academic Contributions

Professor Dr. Shahinul Alam has supervised 20 theses and co-supervised five others, with his mentees earning MD degrees in hepatology. He has also served as the principal investigator or co-investigator in seven research projects at BSMMU, with three of these earning international recognition.

As the course coordinator and curriculum committee secretary for the MD Hepatology program, he has played a pivotal role in developing residency-based education at BSMMU since 2011. His efforts as a member secretary of the Institutional Quality Assurance Committee (IQAC) of the Hepatology Department led to the evaluation and enhancement of academic programs.

Editorial and Reviewer Roles

Dr. Alam is a member of the editorial board of the prestigious World Journal of Hepatology. He also serves as a reviewer for leading scientific publishers such as Elsevier, Springer, Wiley, and Springer Nature.

Professional Affiliations

Dr. Alam is the General Secretary of the Hepatology Society of Dhaka since 2009 and has secured a copyright for dietary guidelines tailored for Bangladeshi patients with fatty liver disease. He is also affiliated with the Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver (APASL), the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL), and several other national and international professional bodies.

Recognition and Future Prospects

Before his recent appointment, Dr. Alam served as the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Academic) at BSMMU from September 1, 2024. With his vast experience and dedication to advancing medical education and research, Dr. Md. Shahinul Alam is expected to bring significant progress to BSMMU in his role as Vice-Chancellor.