CMCH Intern Doctors Declare 24-Hour Strike Following Attack on Colleague

The Intern Doctors Association of Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CHMEC) has announced a 24-hour strike protesting the attack on Dr. Nasir, a doctor on duty at Shariatpur Sadar Hospital.

According to a press release, the strike began at 11:00 am on Monday (May 18) and will continue until 8:00 am on Tuesday (May 19). The interns said the protest aims to demand a safe working environment for doctors and punishment for those responsible for the attack.

The statement said that on the night of May 15, relatives of a patient admitted under a high-risk bond, along with local miscreants, allegedly attacked Dr. Nasir at Shariatpur Sadar Hospital. He was seriously injured and is currently undergoing treatment in critical condition.

The intern doctors at CHMEC decided to observe the strike in protest against the incident and to press home several demands.

Their demands include immediate legal action and exemplary punishment for the attackers, quick implementation of the Doctors Protection Act, and measures to address the hospital’s manpower shortage. They also called for stopping patient admissions beyond hospital capacity and introducing an effective referral system.

Dr. Md. Shakib Hasan, president of the CHMEC Intern Doctors Association, said the 24-hour strike is an initial warning programme. He added that if their demands are not met, doctors at other government medical college hospitals may announce coordinated actions.