Legal issues and professional conduct
Dr. Mamun Al Mahtab Shwapnil, known for his secular values, has faced legal challenges, which some perceive as politically motivated, particularly after the fall of Sheikh Hasina and the pro-secular Awami League, and after the July-August Uprising and the installation of the Interim Government. Many individuals who openly promote secular values have faced persecution, and Dr. Mamun is among those who have been targeted, with his professional reputation being intentionally harmed.
Dr. Mamun Al Mahtab Shwapnil, a Bangladeshi hepatologist, has faced recent medical license suspensions and directives for cancellation by regulatory bodies, alongside allegations of medical negligence. His professional career has been significantly impacted by several incidents involving patient deaths and accusations of negligence, leading to formal actions by medical authorities:
- Rahib Reza case (2024): On June 21, 2025, the Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council (BMDC) suspended Dr. Shwapnil's medical license for five years. The suspension followed an investigation into the death of 31-year-old Rahib Reza at LabAid Hospital on February 19, 2024. Reza died from complications after an endoscopy performed on February 15. The BMDC investigation found "gross medical negligence," citing inadequate pre-procedure assessment of a high-risk patient, insufficient professional skill from Dr. Shwapnil's team, critical procedural flaws, administration of anesthesia without proper precautions or valid consent, an excessive number of endoscopies scheduled, and the lack of a trained anesthesiologist. [1] [2] [3] [4]
- Afsar Ahmed case (2023): In January 2025, the Ministry of Health directed the BMDC to cancel Dr. Shwapnil's medical registration. This directive came after an investigation found him responsible for the death of Engineer Afsar Ahmed in 2023. Ahmed also died following an endoscopy at LabAid Hospital, with allegations of negligence related to anesthesia administration without proper pre-evaluation. [5] [6] [7]
- Toufiq Enam case (2021): In May 2021, a Dhaka court ordered an investigation into allegations of negligence against Dr. Shwapnil and two other doctors concerning the death of physician Toufiq Enam. Enam's condition reportedly worsened after a gallbladder operation, and a subsequent ERCP procedure performed by Dr. Shwapnil was allegedly flawed, contributing to Enam's death on May 30, 2021. [8]
These accusations and formal findings of negligence by professional bodies have led to his current professional status, significantly impacting his ability to practice medicine.
Career
Mahtab was jointly awarded the 'Premio Nacional' from the Cuban Academy of Sciences for the discovery of NASVAC [9] in 2019. He organizes awareness-raising programs on liver diseases across the country in addition to inventing the NASVAC [9] drug aiming to offer an effective solution to Hepatitis B at an affordable price for mass people in Bangladesh.
Mahtab is the chief researcher, and investigator for the GBPD060 clinical study of the Bangladesh-developed SARS-CoV-2 mRNA candidate. He is also the lead researcher on NASVAC's Phase I/II and III clinical studies. [10]
Mahtab is the principal investigator of the phase I/II and III clinical trials of NASVAC, [11] [12] [13] [14] a new generic for chronic hepatitis B, which is already registered in Bangladesh, Cuba, Nicaragua, Ecuador, Belarus and Angola. It is the first drug to be developed and registered in Bangladesh. NASVAC is also the 'first novel molecule' to be registered by the Directorate General of Drug Administration of the Bangladesh government. [15]
Mahtab is currently working as the head, Division of Interventional Hepatology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU). [16]
He is currently associated with Farabi General Hospital, Dhanmondi R/A (West side of Sobhanbag Mosque), Dhaka-1209 [17] and Labaid Specialized Hospital, Dhanmondi. [18] He also serves at Anwer Khan Modern Medical College Hospital as a specialist hepatologist and gastroenterologist and at Labaid Specialized Hospital, Dhanmondi as a liver and liver cancer specialist and interventional endoscopist divisional head. [16]
Lawsuits
He has been subject to accusations and lawsuits of medical malpractice and negligence that led to patients' deaths. [19]
In May 2021, a Dhaka court ordered an investigation into allegations of negligence against three doctors, including Mamun Al Mahtab, leading to the death of another physician, Toufiq Enam. Physiotherapist Aktaruzzaman Mia filed a case with the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court regarding the death of his son, Enam, on 30 May while undergoing treatment at BRB Hospital. Mahtab, a gastroenterologist at Labaid Hospital, was one of the three accused doctors. According to the allegations, Mahtab conducted an endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) procedure on Enam after he developed complications following a surgery at Islami Bank Hospital. Mahtab admitted to treating Enam for hepatitis B and performing the ERCP with the patient's consent to avoid further surgery's high costs and risks. However, Enam's condition deteriorated, and he was transferred to BRB Hospital, where he died during an operation. Mahtab denied any negligence, claiming he was unaware of Enam's pre-existing conditions. [20] [21]
In February 2024, a patient died allegedly due to maltreatment and negligence of Mahtab and the Dhanmondi Labaid Hospital. [22] [23]
Cancellation of BMDC Registration
On 29 January 2025, Health Ministry of Bangladesh has ordered the cancellation of the doctor registration of Mahtab following his alleged responsibility for medical negligence that led to the death of Engineer Afsar Ahmed two years ago. [24] [25]
Affiliations
He is four times elected secretary general of the Association for the Study of the Liver Diseases Bangladesh (ASLDB) (the national Hepatology Association of Bangladesh). [26] He is also foundering president of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Hepatology Alumni Association [27] and executive chairman of Forum for the Study of the Liver Bangladesh. [28]
He is the founder general secretary of the Bangladesh Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Society. [29]
He has organized several 'first time in Bangladesh' medical conferences including the first STEMCON in 2017 (1st international conference on stem cell therapy in Bangladesh) and first EndoVasculoCon in 2019 (1st live conference from endoscopy suit and vascular lab in the region). [30]
He is member secretary of Sampritee Bangladesh. [31]
Publications
Mahtab has compiled six books, namely 'Liver: A Complete Book on Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Diseases', published by Elsevier (2009), [32] 'Comprehensive Text Book on Hepatitis B', published by Jaypee (2010), 'Fatty Liver Disease' (2012) and 'Hepatitis Management Update' (2015) published by McMillan and 'Text Book of Hepato-Gastroenterology' (2015) and 'Practical Hepato-Gastroenterology Prescriber' (2016) published by Jaypee. [33]
Mahtab is serving on the editorial boards of several international journals in the fields of hepatology and gastroenterology including,
- Euro-Asian Journal of Hepato-Gastroenterology (Journal of Euro-Asian Gastroenterological Association) (Co-Editor-in-Chief), [34]
- Hepatology International (journal of Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver) (Associate Editor) [35]
- Journal of Clinical, Experimental Hepatology (journal of Indian Association for the Study of the Liver) (Editorial Board Member), [36]
- Hepatitis B Annual (Kalinga Gastroenterology Foundation, India) (Co-Editor-in-Chief) [37]
Controversy
In a significant move, the Health Ministry has ordered the cancellation of the registration of Dr Mamun Al Mahtab Swapnil following his alleged responsibility for medical negligence that led to the death of Engineer Afsar Ahmed two years ago .
A copy of this letter was delivered to Engineer Afsar Ahmed's family on Tuesday. The letter, signed by Deputy Secretary Sharaban Tahura of the Health Services Division and addressed to the BMDC Registrar, detailed the allegations against Professor Mamun Al Mahtab Swapnil.
It highlighted the findings of an investigation committee from the Directorate General of Health Services, which concluded that negligence during an endoscopy procedure at LabAid Hospital resulted in Engineer Afsar Ahmed's untimely death.
As per the report, the BMDC has been instructed to cancel Professor Mamun Al Mahtab Swapnil's registration due to his negligent conduct and to inform the ministry accordingly.
Another letter sent to Director General of Health Services, Professor Md Abu Zafar, iterated the charges against Professor Mamun Al Mahtab Swapnil regarding the same incident.
Dr Md Liaquat Hossain, Registrar of BMDC, said, "After receiving the ministry's directive, we are currently processing the matter. A final decision will be made after presenting it to the executive committee meeting."
When approached for comment, Professor Mamun Al Mahtab Swapnil told the media, "I am unaware of the ministry's letter. Recently, I was called for an investigation and provided my statement there. I do not believe I was at fault in that incident."
Director General of Health Services, Professor Md Abu Jafar, said, "This incident took place before my tenure began, so I am not privy to the details. I have yet to receive the letter from the ministry."
