Physiotherapy is one of the oldest professions in Bangladesh. In 1973, in target of rehabilitating war disable honorable freedom fighter and general people of war torn Bangladesh, Bachelor of Physiotherapy (BPT) course has been started at Pongu Hospital which now called National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedic Rehabilitation (NITOR). Nonetheless, after running only two batches, the course had been closed.

After long 20 years, in 1993 Bachelor of Physiotherapy has been resumed at the same institute under the faculty of Medicine, University of Dhaka. As like other medical courses, students have to pass HSC then to be qualified to attend written examination by which university select students for BPT admission.

College of Physiotherapy and council: Though Physiotherapy is the oldest profession in Bangladesh, but there is no separate college yet.

Additionally, regulatory body, which will regulate physiotherapy doctors, has not been established by the government. Students and professionals are continuously knocking to the door of government to establish college and council.

They were assured by the government in the past for several times but real action has not been started due to cryptic cause. Meanwhile, the demand of physiotherapy doctors is increasing day-by-day.

The closing of appointing physiotherapy doctors in mainstream health sector, patients go for physiotherapy treatment mostly in private sector or mal practitioner which is costing their finance and health.

Why physiotherapy needed:  In physiotherapy, pain management wing is known as musculoskeletal physiotherapy. Likely, managing stroke patients is the responsibility of neuro-physiotherapy doctors. American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) declared vision 2020 to make this profession similar to the other prominent health professions.

A physiotherapy doctor can assess diagnose and prescribe physiotherapy for wellbeing of patient. Recently, Physiotherapy in pain management enjoys heydays because of its much more effectiveness and literally no adverse effect.

For example, a patient is suffering from low back pain for months and s/he also got diabetes mellitus, nevertheless, NSAID is forbidden for that particular patient. So, physiotherapy is the only choice to manage pain in this case.

For managing sports injury, physiotherapy and rehabilitation are the main treatment options to resume sports again. Stroke paralysis, spinal cord injury, cerebral palsy patients are always blessed by the physiotherapy doctors.

What physiotherapy doctor desire in Bangladesh: All professionals and students want to preserve the right of physiotherapy patients by serving them under government hospitals. Every patient has the right to get physiotherapy in reduced cost like other treatment. But lack of physiotherapy department in government hospitals, make this opportunity impossible.

Treatment from a graduate physiotherapy doctor would not be comparable with the service from others who are not the same. To provide quality education and maintain the standard criteria in BPT, government has decided to establish proposed and already approved “Bangladesh College of Physiotherapy” immediately.