Doctors declare 'complete shutdown'; health adviser sits with protesters

Doctors, interns, and medical students announced a shutdown for an indefinite period in all public and private hospitals, including upazila and district level hospitals across the country, demanding the bringing under justice of those involved in the beating and assault of doctors at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) yesterday.

They called on doctors to observe the strike for four-points demands.

The demands are: the immediate arrest and exemplary punishment of the accused who were involved in attacks on doctors, appointment of armed law and order enforcers to protect doctors in all hospitals across the country within 24 hours, appointment of health police under the Directorate General of Health Services within seven days, and reformation and implementation of the health protection law.

Dr Abdul Ahad, resident surgeon of neurosurgery at DMCH, placed these demands on behalf of the doctors, interns, and medical students of the college.

He said, "Due to the failure of the administration, attacks on doctors, and attacks on patients, we are announcing complete shutdown across all hospitals in the country. In this programme, along with Dhaka Medical College, district and upazila government hospitals, private hospitals including health care centres, and private chambers — all activities will be shut down.

He also said the administration has failed to protect doctors, and the administration has failed to protect patients.

"None of us are safe here, even after 18 hours of the incident, the case is still not registered," he said.

Following the announcement of a "complete shutdown", two coordinators of the anti-discrimination student movement -- Sarjis Alam and Hasnat Abdullah -- have sat in talks with the protesters.

The discussion began at the DMCH conference room around 3:00pm today. Brigadier General Asaduzzaman, director of Dhaka Medical College Hospital, also joined the meeting.

Meanwhile, Health Adviser Nurjahan Begum went to Dhaka Medical College Hospital around 3:45 pm.

Initially, the health adviser was holding a meeting with a separate group of protesting doctors at the director's office.

Those present at the meeting at the director's office eventually moved to the conference room, where the two coordinators, the DMCH director, the health adviser, and protesting directors continued discussions.

The meeting went on for an hour, after which the two coordinators left as no solution could be reached. The doctors, health adviser, and hospital directors have continued the meeting.

Before leaving, Hasnat Abdullah spoke to journalists, saying, "We met with the doctors so that emergency services can be resumed immediately. But the doctors are holding strong to their demands. They will not go back to work before their demands are met. We have requested the health adviser to solve the issue and left the hospital."

Earlier, the health adviser addressed a briefing at the Secretariat where she informed that two investigation committees have been formed over this incident.

The adviser addressed the doctors and said, "You are like my children. Lift the shutdown. You are here to serve people. You have given it your all in the past, do it once more and prove that you are here to serve the people. Your hearts weep when people suffer, you are always there for them. This is my sincere request to you."