Research Ethics and IRB Practice in Bangladeshi Medical Colleges: Strengthening the Review Process

Abstract

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) are the principal safeguard for protecting the rights, dignity, and welfare of human research participants, yet their functioning across Bangladeshi medical colleges remains uneven and under-resourced. This editorial examines the current structure of ethics review in Bangladesh, situates it within the national framework led by the Bangladesh Medical Research Council, and identifies recurring gaps including limited committee independence, inconsistent training, weak monitoring after approval, and inadequate institutional funding. Drawing on comparative experience from other low- and middle-income countries, the editorial argues for a systems approach that strengthens governance, standardizes review timelines, invests in reviewer training, and links ethics approval to research quality. Practical recommendations are offered for medical college administrators, the Bangladesh Medical Research Council, and postgraduate training bodies to build a more consistent, transparent, and participant-centered review culture nationally, one that both protects research participants and supports Bangladesh's growing engagement with international, multi-center research.