The High Court yesterday ruled that only individuals who completed their MBBS and BDS can use the title "Dr" before their names.

"None other than the people qualifying for the MBBS and BDS degrees can use the prefix 'Dr' under the Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council Act, 2010," the court said.

Delivering a verdict on two separate writ petitions, the HC directed the respondents to take necessary steps to designate the writ petitioners, who hold the degree of Diploma in Medical Faculty (DMF), with appropriate prefix within six months.

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The respondents are the secretaries at the ministries of health and law; director generals of directorate of health services and directorate of family planning; and the president and registrar of Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council.

The HC also clarified that those who have already used "Dr" before their names without completing MBBS or BDS degrees till yesterday cannot be punished. But if they use it from today, they can be punished under the relevant law, the court added.

The HC bench of Justice Razik-Al-Jalil and Justice Shathika Hossain delivered the verdict after holding hearing on the writ petitions.

After the Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council Act, 2010 was formulated, Md Shamsul Huda, the then convener of the Bangladesh Diploma Medical Association, and others filed a writ petition with the HC in 2013 alleging that the law has discriminated against the DMF degree holders.

Those who have already used "Dr" before their names without completing MBBS or BDS degrees till yesterday cannot be punished. But if they use it from today, they can be punished.

The president and secretary of the same organisation filed another writ petition with the HC last year challenging the legality of section 29 of the law.

Following the first writ petition, the HC on March 11, 2013 issued a rule asking the respondents to show causes as to why the denial of the right to the petitioners by an arbitrary construction and application of the BMDC Act, 2010 should not be declared illegal and unconstitutional.

In response to the second writ petition, the HC on November 25 last year issued another rule asking respondents to explain why section 29 of BMDC Act, 2010 should not be declared contradictory to Constitution.

After the verdict, Deputy Attorney General AFM Saiful Karim said, "No one except MBBS or BDS degree holders can use 'Dr' before their name."

Meanwhile, outdoor operations at Dhaka Medical College Hospital remained suspended since 10:30am yesterday due to a strike.

Around 1:00pm, this correspondent found the ticket counters still closed, with many patients waiting for services.

Interns and medical students called the strike as part of a countrywide protest to press home their five demands, including restricting the use of the "doctor" title exclusively to MBBS and BDS degree holders.