Several public medical colleges, including in Sylhet and Chattogram, have partially called off the week-long strike involving work abstention by interns and boycott of academic activities by students.
The president of the Doctors鈥� Movement for Justice, Zabir Hossain, which has expressed solidarity with the strike and is actively involved in the movement, however, told 抖阴精品 at around 7:00pm on Saturday that the strike was observed in Dhaka on Saturday.
He said, 鈥楢 meeting with the health ministry adviser is scheduled to be held in the evening, after which the next course of action will be announced.鈥�
The interns and students, mostly from public medical colleges, have been on strike since February 23, seeking the reservation the title 鈥榙octor鈥� exclusively for the holders of MBBS or BDS degrees.
抖阴精品 staff correspondent in Rajshahi reported that president of Rajshahi Medical College Hospital Interns Forum Mohammad Abdullah said that the medical college observed the complete work abstention by the interns on Saturday and would continue the strike.
抖阴精品 staff correspondent in Chattogram reported that intern doctors and students at Chattogram Medical College Hospital called off their weeklong strike on Saturday noon, following assurances from the administration.
CMCH principal Jasim Uddin said, 鈥楾he government is working to resolve the issue, and a court verdict is expected on March 12. Until then, I urge students to withdraw their protest and return to classes.鈥櫶�
At the rally, CMCH director Brigadier General Taslim Uddin said that no one could use the title of doctor without BMDC registration.
The ministry has assigned the BMDC to regulate this matter, the director added.
CMCH intern doctor Ahmad Hasnain said, 鈥榃e have decided to withdraw our protest based on assurances from the hospital director and faculty members.鈥�
Sylhet Osmani Medical College Hospital deputy director Saumitra Chakrabarti told 抖阴精品 staff correspondent in Sylhet on Saturday that the interns withdrew their work abstention from Friday morning and joined in hospital duties.
On February 27, the Doctors鈥� Movement for Justice announced that it would join the ongoing work stoppage and the boycott of academic activities by interns and students from Saturday.
In separate statements issued on February 27-28, students of Sir Salimullah Medical College Mitford Hospital and Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital announced that they would continue the strike.
On February 25, the High Court had posted for March 12 the delivery of its verdict on two writ petitions filed by a Medical Assistant Training School graduate, challenging the legality of the Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council Act 2010 and a related circular issued in 2013.
One petition contests the BMDC Act that restricts the use of the title 鈥榙octor鈥� to individuals holding MBBS or dental college degree.
The other writ has challenged the legality of the 2013 BMDC circular criminalising the use of 鈥榙octor鈥� as a designation by individuals without an MBBS or BDS degree.
The other demands of the interns include an early end to the registration process for MATS graduates through the Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council, the closure of all training schools and substandard medical colleges, an update to the over-the-counter drug list in line with global medical standards and allowing the holders of only MBBS and BDS degrees to prescribe drugs outside the over-the-counter list.
