Students of Khulna Medical College Hospital (KMCH) boycotted classes and held a sit-in program in front of the college on Wednesday morning over a clash with medicine traders.
At the time, the students locked the hospital director's office. Intern doctors are also on work abstention for the second day.
Earlier on Monday night, a clash occurred between medicine traders and students in front of Khulna Medical College. At least 20 students and nine medicine traders were injured in the clash.
Due to the incident, the intern doctors are on a work abstention since Tuesday. On the other hand, the medicine traders kept their drug stores closed for the second day.
Students claimed that a student of Khulna Medical College (KMCH) locked into an argument with a shopkeeper at a drugstore over price of medicine.
At one point, several shopkeepers beat him up. When the other students learned about it, they went to the drugstore, and the shopkeepers beat them up too.
On the other hand, Zillur Rahman Jewel, director of the central committee of a pharmaceutical business association, said: “Nine traders were injured in the attack. Students vandalized a shop. Shutters of other shops were damaged.”
“Our shops have been closed to avoid any kind of conflict,” he added.
Mehdi Newaz, vice-principal of KMCH, said: “We have been beside the students since the attack and treated the injured students. We were with them to file a case at the police station.”
Khulna Medical College Hospital Deputy Director Dr Niaz Mustafiz Chowdhury expressed his sorrow at the attack on students and doctors.
“We are taking the matter seriously. Adequate stock of medicines is kept keeping in mind the suffering of the patients. Besides, the number of doctors has been increased in the absence of intern doctors,” he said.
He added that necessary legal action will be taken from the college authorities in the incident of attack.
Sonadanga Model police station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Momtazul Haque said that additional police have been deployed in the area in connection with the clash at KMCH.