Intern doctors' strike enters second day across country

The indefinite work stoppage by intern doctors across the country, demanding implementation of a six-point charter, entered its second day today (8 June), with FCPS trainee doctors and medical students joining the movement in solidarity.

Protesters said the work stoppage was being observed at different medical college hospitals across the country, including Chattogram Medical College Hospital (CMCH), Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, and Gopalganj Medical College Hospital. They also said intern doctors from various public and private hospitals in Chattogram have joined the strike.

The demands include withdrawal of the 19 May directive on FCPS training and issuance of a revised policy, enactment of a Health Worker Protection Act with provisions for speedy trial, increasing the monthly allowance for intern doctors to Tk30,000, and introducing a separate pay structure for government doctors.

The protesters are also demanding that the entry age limit for the BCS Health Cadre be raised to 34 years, that the BMDC Act-2025 be enacted as a full law rather than an ordinance, that strict action be taken against individuals posing as doctors, and that admission test fees under the Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council and Bangladesh Medical University be capped at Tk1,000.

At Chattogram Medical College Hospital, intern doctors continued their work stoppage for the second consecutive day, while FCPS trainee doctors joined the protest in solidarity.

The protesting doctors warned of a nationwide "complete shutdown" of all medical college hospitals if today's meeting with the Ministry of Health fails to yield a satisfactory decision.

Speaking to The Business Standard at 11am, Dr Sakib Hossain, president of the CMCH Intern Doctors' Association, said, "Intern doctors from both government and private hospitals in Chattogram are observing the strike over the same demands. Our movement will continue until our demands are met."

Medical students at CMCH have also expressed solidarity with the movement by boycotting classes and examinations.

The movement expanded further around noon when FCPS trainee doctors joined a human chain programme under the leadership of Dr Habibur Rahman Sohag, acting convener of the Post Graduate Private Doctors' Association at CMCH.

Intern doctor Zahid Hossain Wakil said a meeting with the health secretary was scheduled today to discuss the six-point demands, warning that a complete shutdown could be announced if no effective decision emerges.

CMCH Director Brig Gen Mohammad Taslim Uddin said the movement is taking place nationwide and that the government has already accepted two of the six demands.

Meanwhile, the work stoppage by intern doctors at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital also continued for the second consecutive day.

On Monday (8 June), they formed a human chain and brought out a protest procession in front of the main gate of Rajshahi Medical College around 11:15am.

Intern doctors at Gopalganj Medical College Hospital also announced a work stoppage in solidarity with the ongoing nationwide protest.

According to the protesters, the movement began in protest against a recent statement issued by BCPS on FCPS trainees.

The statement included provisions that among 5,000 successful FCPS trainees, only the first 1,000 would receive merit-based allowances.

It also said successful trainees would have to undergo two years of mandatory training at the upazila level and would not be allowed to see patients privately or run chambers during the training period.

At Gopalganj Medical College Hospital, intern doctors and students ended their human chain after submitting memorandums to the hospital director and the medical college principal.