Health services has virtually come to a halt in Khulna as doctors of government and non-government hospitals have been observing work abstention since Saturday.
Several doctors’ associations – Bangladesh Medical Association, Bangladesh Private Medical Practitioners Association and Bangladesh Private Clinic and Diagnostic Owners’ Association went on the strike on Sunday morning, protesting vandalism and abduction of an intern doctor by fellow students.
A student of Khulna University was injured in a road accident on June 2. He was taken to Gazi Medical College and Hospital from where he was referred to Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Later, he died on the way there.
As soon the news of Amit Roy’s death, spread his friends rushed to the hospital and ransacked it. He was a first year student of Fine Arts Institute of the KU. His friends alleged that medical negligence was the cause of his death.
They also allegedly abducted an intern doctor.
In Khulna, a total of 108 privately owned and state-owned hospitals, clinics and diagnostics centres have remained under lock and key for the strike.
Agitators threatened that they would continue the strike until students, who were involved in the vandalism, are arrested.
Yesterday, doctors of 10 hospitals joined the movement.
Visiting different clinics and hospitals in Khulna this correspondent found that hundreds of patients were compelled to returned home without treatment.
Tanu Roy, a resident of Dumuria upazila came to Ad-Din Hospital with abdomen aches, but she returned home without any assistance from doctors.
She said, “I do not know when the hospital will open? I do not have any opportunity to come again for financial problems.”
The striking doctors have submitted a memorandum to KMP commissioner urging him to arrest the vandalisers and abductors.
Meanwhile, hundreds of students of the KU formed a human chain on campus demanding compensation for the family of Amit and the withdrawal of the case filed against students.
Leaders of Khulna Awami Legue have asked doctors to immediately withdraw their strike.
They said this crisis could be resolved through friendly discussions between the authorities of KU and leaders of the BMA and the BPCDOA.
