Bangladesh: Striking doctors demand safety and justice

Dhaka, Aug 19 (IANS) Several intern doctors from Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital (SBMCH) in Barisal district of Bangladesh continued their protest for the third consecutive day Tuesday, demanding safe working conditions and the arrest of those who recently attacked their colleagues.

Amid the strike, all medical services, except emergency care, remained suspended, leaving patients and their attendants in distress at the district's largest hospital, local media reported.

The protest began on Sunday after the doctors, medical students and staff at SBMCH accused a group of anti-discrimination students of attacking them at the hospital. The attack by the so-called 'Healthcare Reform Movement' activists left 11 members of the medical staff, including a medical officer, Dilip Kumar, badly injured.

"Despite the continuous strike, we have continued to provide emergency medical services. At the request of the Director, our doctors are working indoors and outdoors. But if there is no security, how will we work?" Bangladesh’s leading Bengali daily Jugantor quoted Shakhawat Hossain Saikat, President of the Mid-Level Doctors Association of Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital, as saying.

"Emergency services are running normally. After the attack and beating, the doctors left their workplace in fear. Later, emergency medical services were resumed under police guard. Discussions are underway to resolve the problem. Hopefully, the intern doctors will return to work very soon,” said Hospital Director AKM Mashiul Munir.

However, Munir warned that if the attackers are not arrested, the situation in the hospital could deteriorate rapidly.

On Monday, doctors, nurses, and hospital staff formed a human chain at the hospital, demanding the arrest of students involved in the assault, and gave a 48-hour ultimatum to take legal action against the attackers.

Addressing the human chain, Abdul Monayem Sad, General Secretary of the Doctors Association of Bangladesh (DAB), Barisal, stressed the importance of ensuring staff safety.

“We are working under unsafe conditions. For the public interest, we will provide medical care for the next 48 hours. If the attackers are not arrested by then, we will suspend services altogether,” he said.

Bangladesh has been gripped with numerous protests and extreme lawlessness after the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government assumed power last year.

--IANS

scor/as