Services halted as tensions escalate between students, staff at Sher-E-Bangla hospital in Barisal

Healthcare services at Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital in Barishal have been brought to a near standstill as hospital staff declared a retaliatary strike after one of the medical officers was allegedly assaulted by students.

Patients waited for hours while essential services were severely disrupted amid escalating tensions between hospital staff and students.

Students demanding medical reforms staged a demonstration and called a sit-in in front of the deputy commissioner's office today (18 August).

On the same day, doctors, nurses, and hospital staff held a human chain at the hospital, demanding the arrest of students allegedly involved in the assault of Medical Officer Dr Dilip Roy of Medicine Unit-2 within 48 hours.

Speaking at the human chain, Dr Abdul Monayem Sad, general secretary of the Doctors Association of Bangladesh (DAB), Barishal, emphasised the need for staff safety. 

"We are working under unsafe conditions. For the public interest, we will provide medical care for the next 48 hours. If the attackers are not arrested by then, we will suspend services altogether," he said.

Before this, on-duty doctors had already suspended outpatient services. Frustrated patients and relatives gathered outside the hospital to express their anger.

Fatema Begum, a patient from Billobari, said, "Earlier, doctors would prescribe medicines without listening to patients. Now they are nowhere to be found; they are busy with marches and meetings."

Another patient's relative, Abdul Salam Haji, said, "We came very early to see a doctor, but there was none. The doctors are holding Barishal residents hostage."

Hospital staff claimed that since the start of the student protest demanding health sector reform, multiple doctors, nurses, and employees were harassed inside the hospital, and the pediatric department was vandalised.

Dr Shakhawat Hossain Saikat, president of the Mid-Level Doctors Association, said, "Under the leadership of Mohiuddin Roni, students blocked hospital entrances and threatened doctors, nurses, and staff. They also assaulted Dr Dilip Roy." 

At around 12:30pm, a human chain was organised in front of the hospital, with doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and staff condemning the attack.

Mohiuddin Rony, leader of the protest, rejected accusations of attacking hospital staff. He counter-blamed the hospital staff as responsible for the violence against students on 14 August when they were protesting and staging hunger strikes. 

"We are demanding an end to this mismanagement and syndication in Sher-e-Bangla Hospital, and asking the authority to ensure accountability," he said. "Those who attacked us were identified as Chhatra League members. People from such banned organisations are running the syndicate."