While expressing the ministry’s support for National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Registrar Dr Abdullah Al Mamun, the Health Services secretary warned the protesting doctors that they would have to bear responsibility for patients’ sufferings caused by the ongoing protest.
The protesting doctors said the service they were suspending was their private practice and not in any way related to the government. So they could not be blamed for patients’ sufferings.
The Bangladesh Association of Psychiatrists (BAP) held a sit-in program from 10am which continued till 2:20pm on Saturday, where several psychiatrists, staffers of NIMH, other doctors and health workers belonging to health professionals’ rights protection organizations were present.
According to the protestors, Dr Abdullah Al Mamun was wrongfully jailed, despite no evidence of his involvement being found in the murder of senior assistant superintendent of police (ASP) Anisul Karim Shipon of Barisal Metropolitan Police.
Health Services Division Secretary Md Abdul Mannan told reporters: “I am the top administrative official in my division, but if there is any proof of irregularity against me, I might be subject to arrest too. It’s the procedure.”
Also read: NIMH Registrar Arrest: Psychiatrists announce closing private practice sine die
“If the doctor is found not involved in the incident, the ministry will provide all kinds of support to him,” he added.
He then warned the protesters that if their protest caused sufferings for the hospital patients they would have to bear responsibility for the situation.
Among the program leaders were Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA) Central Executive Committee Member Jamal Uddin Chowdhury, Swadhinata Chikitsak Parishad (SWACHIP) President M Iqbal Arslan, its General Secretary MA Aziz, and Foundation for Doctor's Safety and Rights (FDSR) Adviser Abdun Nur Tushar among others.
BAP has stopped all private practice and online services until further notice since November 19 and is encouraging other private healthcare organizations to do the same.
Just some hours before the health services division secretary made the statement, the General Secretary of BAP and NIMH Resident Psychiatrist Dr Mohammad Tariqul Alam said: “We have sent letters to several healthcare professionals’ right organizations to take measures demanding bail for and unconditional release of Dr Mamun.”
Dr Tariqul Alam said that a decision would be taken on Sunday or Monday in this regard.
Also read: ASP Anisul Murder: Mind Aid Hospital director, NIMH registrar sent to jail
Asked about the matter, BMA Secretary General Dr Ehteshamul Haque Chowdhury said the body had sent the letter to the associations of units like medicine or surgery.
A meeting would be held on Sunday noon in this regard, he added.
“Before that, we will meet Law Minister Anisul Haque and Home Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Khan. Our decision will largely depend on their responses. So it will be better not to make any statement before that,” Dr Ehteshamul said.
Dr Shahana Parving of NIMH said: “We have decided to stop providing services in private chambers and online services, not services at the government hospitals.
“Private practice is our own matter; the secretary cannot have anything to say about it,” she added.
A court on Friday sent Mind Aid Psychiatry and De-Addiction Hospital Director Fatema Khatun and National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Registrar Dr Abdullah Al Mamun to jail in a case lodged on November 10 by ASP Anisul’s father over the murder with Adabor police station against 15 people, of whom 13 were arrested.
