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Pran Gopal Datta
Pran Gopal Datta (born 1 October 1953)[2] is a Bangladeshi physician, university administrator and politician. In September 2021, he won a seat in the Jatiya Sangsad representing the Comilla-7 constituency in an unopposed by-election. The seat had become vacant after Ali Ashraf died in office in July 2021.[3] Datta was awarded the Independence Day Award, the highest civilian award in Bangladesh, in 2012 for his contributions to the medical field.[4][5] He is an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist. He also served as the personal physician to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.[3] Background and educationDatta was born on 1 October 1953 in Mahichail village, Chandina, Comilla District, the second of seven brothers and sisters. He matriculated from Chandina Pilot High School in 1968 and attended Comilla Victoria College.[6] He earned his MBBS degree at Chittagong Medical College in 1976, PhD degree from Odessa State Medical University in 1983, and an MSc in audiological medicine from University of Manchester in 1993.[7] Datta has worked with and received training under renowned ENT specialists from all over the world including Hans-Peter Zenner of the University of Tübingen. Datta also worked closely with Prof. Armin Löwe of Heidelberg University for the establishment of Bangladesh's first diagnostic clinic for hearing-impaired children. CareerDatta regularly provides treatment to his patients at Green Life Hospital.[8] He is a professor in the Department of ENT at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University.[9] He also works as an 'Ear, Nose & Throat Specialist & Head Neck surgeon' in the same organization.[10] Datta has conducted research on throat cancer, immunity, developmental disabilities, and autism.[11]. Pran Gopal Datta is a regular lecturer for institutions like the National Defence College (Bangladesh), the Bangladesh Institute of Administration and Management, the Judicial Administration Training Institute, the Bangladesh Police Academy, and the Bangladesh Academy for Rural Development.[7] In 2021, he was nominated by the Awami League to contest by-elections for Jatiya Sangsad from Comilla-7 constituency after the death of Ali Ashraf.[12] 2024 Election ScandalDr. Datta's political career saw notable controversy during the 2024 parliamentary elections in Bangladesh. He was declared the winner of the Cumilla-7 constituency, but the election was marred by incidents of violence,[13] ballot-stuffing, vote theft,[14] and allegations of electoral irregularities. Reports indicated that clashes between supporters of Dr. Datta and other candidates resulted in injuries and disrupted the electoral process. Despite being declared the winner, the legitimacy of the election was questioned. Allegations of DiscriminationDuring his tenure at BSMMU, Dr. Datta faced allegations of discriminatory practices. In response to these allegations, supporters of Dr. Datta argued that the changes in promotion criteria were intended to maintain high academic standards and that the claims of bias were politically motivated.[15] Fall of Awami League GovernmentOn August 5, 2024, the Awami League government fell amid widespread political unrest and protests after the state sanctioned killings of protesters nationwide. He has been charged for murder on three separate counts,[16][17] one of which during the July Revolution, regarding the killing of protestors where he was charged with Sheikh Hasina.[18] However, patients and supporters of Prof. Datta allege that these cases are politically motivated and are part of the wave of 'false cases' in Bangladesh following the ousting of Sheikh Hasina.[19] Following the collapse of the government, Dr. Datta reportedly went into hiding, as political instability and the subsequent shift in power created a precarious situation for many political figures. BibliographyBooksPran Gopal Datta has authored numerous books on topics ranging from the Bangladesh Liberation War, to juvenile delinquency. These include:
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