The Dhaka National Medical College inherits her glorious predecessor the Dhaka National Medical Institute, which was established in 1925 as a part of Non-cooperation movement of the Indian Sub-continent against the British colonial rule, organized jointly by the Indian National Congress and the Indian Muslim League under the Leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, Mawlana Muhammad Ali and Mawlana Sawkat Ali.

Along with other programs the Non-cooperation movement urged upon the People of the sub-continent to boycott educational institutions established and administered by British Govt. and to establish National Schools, Colleges and Institutes for modern scientific education by the local people themselves. Accordingly two Medical Schools were established in the Bengal Province for producing National Doctors of modern medicine. One such Medical School was at Calcutta, named Calcutta National Medical Institute and the other at Dhaka, named Dhaka National Medical Institute.

The Dhaka National Medical Institute was established at Dhaka near Bahadur Shah Park on a land donated by Zamider Raghunath Das. Many Nationalist donated money for its construction & establishment. The First Governing Body of the Institute was formed under the chairmanship of a renowned scientist Sir Prafulla Chandra Roy KBE.  The governing body included Nationalist leaders like Sir Khwaza Nazim Uddin KBE, former Chief Minister of the Begnal, Dr. J.C. Ghosh founder of Ayuraveda Institute, Shadhana Ausadhalya, Roy Bahadur Kashab Chandra Banarjee, Zamider Jogesh Chandra Das and prominent persons.

The Institute started its journey of a four year medical course (LMF) on modern scientific medicine after matriculation.

A general Hospital for clinical teaching for the medical students and medical services to the local people was also established.

In 1958, the 4 years medical course (LMF) was closed by the then Provincial government of East Pakistan to be replaced by 5 year medical degree course in future (MBBS). The Dhaka National Medical Institute could not open the 5 year MBBS course due to non-cooperation of Pakistan Govt. From the 1965 the Dhaka National Medical Institute became limited to a general hospital for the local people.

In 1971, during Liberation war of Bangladesh the Dhaka National Medical Institute Hospital was a safe shelter for the Freedom Fighters of the Liberation War. Just after the liberation of Bangladesh in 1972 the hospitals condition was on the verge of collapse due to financial crisis and absence of any Administrative Body as the previous Governing Body and the Trustee Board of the Institute were almost absent.

Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman took initiative by himself to rescue the Dhaka National Medical Institute Hospital and granted a Taka of thirty five lacs immediately for running the hospital and an Adhoc Governing Body was formed for the Institute hospital under the chairmanship of Mr. M. Sirajul Islam MLA for the smooth administration and development of the hospital. Mr. M. Sirajul Islam took active initiative to allocate a donation of taka twenty five lacs from Bangladesh Assistance Society of India.

A rule was made by the Govt. of Bangladesh for the Dhaka National Medical Institute Hospital (DNMIH) that a Management Board will be formed henceforth for every four years of its proper administration and a yearly financial grant will be allotted for the hospital according to the need assessed by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Govt. of Bangladesh. The initial financial grant for the Hospital was Taka two crore yearly. Now it is Tk. Five Crore. In return, the hospital shall treat 40% of its patients free.

From the very beginning the Management Board of the Dhaka National Medical Institute Hospital proposed and moved for establishing one Medical Collage with the DNMIH. At last in 1994 under dynamic leadership of the chairman of the Management Board of the Dhaka National Medical Institute & Hospital Mr. Sadeque Hossan Khoka MP, the long expected Dhaka National Medical College came into existence. The College was formerly inaugurated and the foundation stone was laid by the former Prime Minister on the 15th October, 1995. New Academic Building of the College inaugurated by former Mayor of Dhaka City Corporation and former Chairman of the College Mr. Sadek Hossain Khoka MP, on the 25th November, 2006. DNMC is running as per rules and regulations laid down by the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council (BM&DC) and Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Govt. of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh. Dhaka National Medical College is  a non-political and non-profitable organization. Now the college has a new 11 storied academic building with adequate parking facilities.

Graduates of Dhaka National Medical College are eligible for limited registration with the General Medical Council of United Kingdom. They are also eligible to take the United States Medical License Examinations (USMLE).

Governing body of the college is formed by the University of Dhaka for overall management of the College. Advocate Kazi Firoz Rashid, MP is the Chairman of the present governing body of the college. Under his direct leadership the master plan of the vision to build up the digital Bangladesh of Prime Minister SK Hasina is in progress.