The interns of Sir Salimullah Medical College (Mitford) Hospital went on an indefinite strike on Monday following a case filed the Ekushey Television (ETV) authorities against its director and four interns for alleged assault on some journalists . Moaibul Islam Shoyeb, president of Mitford Hospital unit Chhatra League and an intern, said a total of 207 interns of the hospital went on work abstention following the case filed by ETV. Earlier, The Ekushey Television (ETV) authorities on Monday filed a case against Mitford Hospital director Brig Gen Md Jakir Hasan and four interns for their alleged involvement in assaulting some journalists of the private television channel. ETV director Dr Md Jahidul Islam filed the case with the Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate court. On April 19, interns of the hospital attacked and injured six journalists, including a cameraman, of ETV when they went there for collecting information for “Ekusher Chokh”, an investigative programme of the channel.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Mohammad Nasim said the government will take action against doctors who resort to unjustified strikes causing sufferings to patients. The Minister was talking to the reporters after attending a function to hand over medical equipment at Rajarbagh Central Police Hospital on Monday. The equipment handed over to State Minister for Home Asaduzzaman Khan included X-ray, ECG and Ultrasonogram machines worth about Tk 50 lakh. State Minister for Health and Family Planning Zahid Mallick, IGP Hasan Mahmud Khandker, director general (DG) of Directorate of Health Prof Dr Din Mohammad, DG RAB Mukhlesur Rahman, DMP Commissioner Benazir Ahmed and other concerned senior government officers were also present. The Minister said the government does not support any kind of strikes by the physicians. “Action will be taken against those who will enforce unjustified strike in the medical sector”. Referring to violence at the Rajshahi Medical College Hospital where 10 local journalists sustained injuries allegedly in an attack by the interns of the hospital on Sunday night, the Minister said the incident was unfortunate. The journalists were on duty to cover a clash between doctors and relatives of a patient who reportedly died in the hospital on Sunday night. “It took place following a rumour. An inquiry committee has been formed to investigate the incident and action will be taken on the basis of the inquiry committee report”, Nasim said. – UNB
