Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital interns call off strike
The medical interns at Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital (SBMCH) in Barishal have joined, work calling off their indefinite strike in the small hours of Friday, said the interns’ association.
The leaders of the association told Prothom Alo that they have joined work as the authorities of SBMCH assured them of taking action to address their grievances.
However, they warned the authorities of announcing tougher programmes if action was not taken within Friday noon.
Earlier, on Thursday, the medical interns announced an indefinite work abstention demanding punishment of assistant registrar Masud Khan for irregularities.
Intern Doctors’ Association president Sajal Pandey and general secretary Tarikul Islam alleged that assistant registrar of the hospital’s medicine department unit-4, Masud Khan, has been speading propaganda against them of Facebook.
The hospital authorities formed a three-member committee to investigate the matter asking it to submit the report within five working days. But the committee could not submit its report as of today
The interns on 20 October allegedly harassed Masud Khan over sharing ‘commission’ taken from a diagnostic centre. Masud Khan filed a written complaint to the hospital director against a few interns on the following day.
On 22 October, the interns gave a memo to the director against Masud Khan on allegation of taking commission from diagnostic centres, improper behavior with female and senior colleagues and withholding the allowance of interns.
The hospital authorities formed a three-member committee to investigate the matter asking it to submit the report within five working days. But the committee could not submit its report as of today.
In this context, the interns enforced the work abstention from 11:55pm on Thursday.
Witnesses said the interns began their demonstration locking the gate of emergency department at 11:55pm. They were chanting slogans demanding trial of Masud Khan. As a result, the patients faced all sorts of suffering.
On information, police went to the spot and talked to the interns but failed to persuade the demonstrators to open the gate of the emergency department. Later, SBMCH principal SM Sarwar, hospital’s director Bakir Hossain and deputy director Abdur Razzaq went to the spot around 1:05am and requested the interns to open the gate for the patients.
The interns opened the gate and held talks at the ground floor of the hospital.
Following the discussion, the interns called off the work abstention around 2:30am.
Intern Doctors’ Association president Sajal Pandey and general secretary Tarikul Islam said they called off the strike at the assurance of the college principal and hospital director. But tougher programmes would be announced if their demands are not met by Friday noon.
Speaking to Prothom Alo, the hospital’s director Bakir Hossain said, “They have returned to work after our assurances of meeting their demands. We’ll sit today over the matter again.”