The Bangladesh High Court has ruled that only individuals who have completed a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) or a Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) degree are entitled to use the honorific “Dr” before their names.

The ruling was delivered today by a bench comprising Justice Razik-Al-Jalil and Justice Shathika Hossain following a hearing on a writ petition seeking legal clarity on the issue.

While the court has set clear restrictions moving forward, it clarified that individuals who previously used the “Dr” title without holding an MBBS or BDS degree will not face punishment for past usage.

The ruling is expected to have significant implications, particularly for professionals in alternative medicine, homeopathy, and other fields where the title “Dr” has been widely used.