BSMMU doctors protest for higher allowance
Staff Reporter :
The postgraduate doctors of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) have staged demonstration in front of Vice-Chancellor (VC) Professor Dr Md Sharfuddin Ahmed office demanding increasing their monthly allowance.
They also alleged that that some of their fellows were harassed by the VC when they went to meet him at his office during protest on Monday.
The protesters alleged that five physicians were harassed by VC Prof Sharfuddin Ahmed and other high-ups.
“We went to meet the VC in his office to discuss our demand. But he and other physicians, around 30-40 of them, threatened five of our fellows. We had to leave his office without any solution,” Dr Habibur Rahman Suhag, a non-government resident surgeon at Chattogram Medical College and a spokesperson of the protesters, said to the media.
Later the agitated doctors called off their protest after VC has assured them that their demand for an increase in the monthly allowance will be addressed. He requested the protesting doctors to grant him some time to resolve the matter.
During a meeting held on Tuesday at 2pm, the BSMMU VC expressed his intention to discuss the doctors’ demands with the health minister and the secretary in order to find a solution to their problem.
However, the VC also cautioned the postgraduate doctors about the consequences of continuing with their protest.
He explained that according to the university’s regulations, students who fail to attend classes for three consecutive days may face expulsion.
The agitating doctors gathered on the BSMMU premises around 10am to protest insufficient allowance and the hassle they face in this regard.
At around 11am, a scuffle with security guards ensued when the post-graduate trainee doctors initiated to meet the VC.
One of the protesters, wishing anonymity, said that they were holding the pre-announced rally peacefully but they had to besiege the VC office after the security guards used force to stop them from entering the VC office.
Last week, postgraduate doctors issued an ultimatum till 12 June to increase their monthly allowance and ensure timely payment.
The doctors argue that the current monthly allowance of Tk 20,000 is inadequate and it should be raised to Tk 50,000 to align with market rates. Besides, they claimed that the payment of non-resident doctors has not been regular and they go through a lot of hassle at the ministry to collect the existing allowance.
In a written statement, they threatened to go on a nationwide strike on 13 June if their demands are not met by noon on 12 June.
Benazir Belal Khan, a postgraduate doctor at Sir Salimullah Medical College, said, “The government has a strict policy that we cannot work outside during this training period.”
He explained that, as a result, the doctors cannot meet the cost of living with the current salary as commodity prices have gone up significantly.
Maj (retd) Abdul Wahab urged, “The government should accept their demands and help them focus on their medical services”.