Doctors, nurses, and other staff members of Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital (SBMCH) on Thursday launched a counter-movement against ongoing protests demanding reforms in the hospital and the broader health sector.
Hospital staff staged a demonstration calling for the safety of all personnel.
They announced that if the ongoing reform movement is not withdrawn by Friday, they will go on a work stoppage starting Saturday.
At around 11:30am, doctors, nurses and administrative staff of the hospital held a protest procession starting at the campus, chanting slogans demanding workplace safety.
After marching around the campus, they staged a sit-in on Band Road in front of the hospital, before returning to the premises.
At the hospital’s central gate, two students participating in a reform protest over alleged mismanagement were assaulted and removed.
A brief rally was then held, during which speakers levelled various allegations against the ongoing protesters, claiming the demonstrations are disrupting their work environment and endangering their safety.
They warned that failure to end the protests by Friday will lead to an indefinite work stoppage from Saturday.
Speaking at the protest, Dr Sakhawat Hossain, president of the Mid-Level Doctors’ Association, and Dr Shakhawat Hossaen, general secretary, said they initially supported the protesters’ legitimate demands.
They added that Directorate General of Health Services Director General Abu Jafor visited Barisal and reached an agreement with the protesters to meet their demands.
However, the protesters continued their agitation, disrupting healthcare services, they claimed.
They alleged that the protesters frequently entered different wards of the hospital, behaving inappropriately with doctors and nurses.
They said that even a fourth-grade staff member was physically assaulted.
They alleged that the protesters were continuously broadcasting live on social media, using defamatory language against doctors, nurses and all hospital personnel.
They said they initially remained silent as the demands seemed justified, but after the director general’s assurance, they believe the movement no longer has any legitimacy.
The doctors added that they are unaware of who assaulted the students on hunger strike, but made it clear that if the protest is not withdrawn by Friday, they will begin an indefinite work stoppage from Saturday, with hospitals across the country joining their movement.
Regarding the incident, Assistant Commissioner of Police Belal Hossain said no attack has taken place at the hospital.
He said that law enforcement personnel are working to maintain order and that the situation remains normal.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, the director general of the health directorate spoke with the protesters demanding reforms at Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital (SBMCH) and the health sector, assuring them that their demands will be met.
Following this, a section of the protesters suspended their agitation, giving a one-month ultimatum.
However, another group remained steadfast in their demand for the arrival of the health adviser before ending the protest.
For the past 16 days, students and the public have been protesting with three demands, including eliminating mismanagement at Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital and other hospitals across the country.
Initially confined to the campus and the city, the protests later extended to the Nathullabad area of the Barisal-Dhaka Highway, causing inconvenience to passengers, pedestrians, transport operators and local businesses in the area.
