Stealing the identity of a doctor, a man had been treating patients at a private clinic in Pabna's Bhangura upazila for the last seven years.

The incident came to light through a Facebook post which sparked widespread criticism.

The man allegedly stole the identity of Dr Masud Karim and his Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council (BMDC) registration number. He then joined Bhangura Health Care Limited, in Sharatnagar Bazar in the upazila, in 2012 as a residential medical officer.

The real Dr Masud Karim, from Feni, works at a private chamber in Dhaka's Khilgaon and was a student of the 1990-91 session in Mymensingh Medical College. He learned that another man was using his name and BMDC number in Pabna from the Facebook post of a fellow doctor last week.

In the post uploaded by Syeed Mehbub Ul Kadir, a doctor and also a friend of Masud, a photograph of the man using Masud's identity was attached with claims of him being a “fake doctor”. Syeed alleged the man was using his friend's identity and registration number. He also attached photographs of an ultrasonogram report that was prepared by the fake doctor.

Syeed notified Masud about the identity theft by tagging him the post.

“When I came to know of the matter [from the post], I informed the local health administration, hospital authorities and law enforcers to take action. I went to the hospital as well, but the man went into hiding,” Masud Karim told The Daily Star on Saturday.

Masud said, “I don't know how the man managed to get hold of my certificate, BMDC registration number and how he got the job. He must be punished as he cheated with the patients for long,” adding that he would file case in this regard.

Masud demanded exemplary punishment of the fake doctor.

Speaking to The Daily Star, Md Abdul Jabbar, director of Bhangura Health Care, said “Masud Karim” was on a five-day leave.

“After the authorities were notified about the incident, they asked him to submit his original documents. He then took leave to go home to bring the documents and has been missing since Tuesday,” Jabbar said.

Asked about the recruitment, Jabbar said they had taken photo copies of his medical certificate, BMDC registration papers and Bangladesh Medical Association certificate. “We had no way to know whether they are fake or not,” he added. 

Speaking to The Daily Star, Dr Tahazzel Hossain, civil surgeon in Pabna, said the man went into hiding after the incident came to light.

The “fake” Masud Karim, whose real identity was still unknown, was contacted by this correspondent but his cell phone was found switched off.