MR Khan is a renowned professor, physician and pediatrician in Bangladesh. Although he is best known as MR Khan, his full name is Mohammad Rafi Khan. He was better known as ‘Khoka’ to his parents and neighbors. He was elected National Professor by the Bangladesh Government.
MR Khan was born on 1 August 1928 in Satkhira. His father was Alhaj Abdul Bari Khan and his mother was Zaira Khanam. He was the eldest of their four sons.
He was admitted to PN School in Satkhira Sadar. He was very talented in his studies. He played football very well as a child. He won 13 trophies as the leader of the Rasulpur School team.
He passed his matriculation with distinction in the first division from this school in 1943. He passed his ISC with distinction in the first division from Kolkata Presidency College. After passing his MBBS from Kolkata Medical College in 1952, he returned to Satkhira. Then in 1956, he moved to London for higher education and enrolled at the Edinburgh School of Medicine in the UK.
From there, he obtained a Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (DTM&H) degree in the same year. He also obtained a Diploma in Child Health (DCH) degree from the School of Medicine in London.
In 1962, he obtained an MRCP degree from the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. In 1974, he obtained an FCPS from Bangladesh and in 1978, he obtained an FRCP degree from Edinburgh.
He married Anwara Begum Anu, a distant relative of MR Khan from Rasulpur village, on 1 January 1954. Anwara Begum and Dr. MR Khan’s only daughter is named Daulatunnesa (Mandy).
After completing his studies abroad, he served as Assistant Registrar and Registrar at Manchester Kent and Edinburgh Group Hospitals in England from 1957 to 1962 respectively. He returned to the country in 1962.
In 1963, he joined Dhaka Medical College Hospital as Associate Professor of Medicine. In 1964, he joined Rajshahi Medical College as Associate Professor (Child Health) in the Department of Medicine.
In 1969, he joined the Department of Pediatrics of Dhaka Medical College as Associate Professor and within a year, i.e. in 1970, he was promoted to Professor. In 1971, he took over as Professor of IPGMR and in 1973, as Joint Director of this institute. In November 1978, he joined Dhaka Children’s Hospital as Professor and Director.
In the same year, he was again appointed as Professor of Pediatrics of IPGMR and served with skill and reputation. Professor Dr. M. R. Khan retired from his long service in 1988.
Dr. M. R. Khan established the Dr. M. R. Khan and Anwara Trust for mothers and children with his pension money.
From this trust, he was awarded the Dr. M. R. Khan and Anwara Trust Gold Medal for his contributions to child health and education, establishment of hospitals and schools, provision of scholarships to meritorious and poor students, and good contributions in the field of medicine. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) awarded Dr. M. R. Khan an honorary doctorate degree and the Bangladesh Academy of Sciences Gold Medal for his outstanding contributions to social welfare work including education, medicine, child health protection, service to the needy and helpless people. Dr. M. R. Khan received the highest civilian national award, the Ekushey Padak in 2009 and the Swadhinata Puraskar in 2016.
The books written by Dr. M. R. Khan are Primary Care, Mother and Child, Know for Your Child, Keep Your Child Healthy, Drug Therapy in Children, etc. Dr. M.R. Khan passed away on November 5, 2016.
Deepest respect and love to one of the most renowned pediatricians in Bangladesh, Dr. M.R. Khan, on his death anniversary.”