CMCH intern doctors begin indefinite strike over six-point demands, threaten 'complete shutdown'

Intern doctors at Chattogram Medical College Hospital (CMCH) began an indefinite strike from 8am today (7 June), demanding the implementation of a six-point charter that includes changes to FCPS training policies, higher allowances and reforms in the health sector.

They also threatened a "complete shutdown" of medical college hospitals nationwide if demands are not met within the stipulated time.

Students of Chattogram Medical College have also announced a class boycott from 11am in support of the same demands.

The strike was announced in a statement issued around 1:30am by the Intern Doctors' Association, signed by its office secretary, Md Irfanur Rahman.

The organisation said it had repeatedly given the authorities time to address the demands but decided to launch the strike due to a lack of visible progress.

According to the intern doctors, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare recently adopted a policy on FCPS (Fellowship of the College of Physicians and Surgeons) training that included provisions to halt new postings in some departments of Dhaka Medical College Hospital and Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital, require two years of service at upazila level and provide limited merit-based allowances.

The protesters described the measures as discriminatory and unreasonable and began their movement on Thursday.

They said only partial progress had been made on one of their six demands, while no effective action had been taken on the others.

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.

Amid the movement, the Bangladesh College of Physicians and Surgeons (BCPS) issued a notice on Sunday stating that, following discussions with the Health Ministry, the requirement for upazila-level training had been withdrawn.

It also said private trainees who pass the FCPS Part I examination would be eligible for training allowances if they undertake training at BCPS-recognised government medical college hospitals and institutes.

Sakib Hossain, president of the CMCH Intern Doctors' Association, said the strike had initially been deferred in consideration of patients.

"We first gave the administration 48 hours and later another 24 hours. But our backs are against the wall. Therefore, we are forced to observe the strike," he said.

Sakib said only intern doctors are taking part in the movement so far. However, if their demands are not met, trainee physicians will also join the protest.

At one point in his speech, he warned that a situation could arise where a "complete shutdown" programme would be announced involving trainee physicians if the demands remain unfulfilled.

He added that as intern doctors are not currently on roster-based duties, medical services at the hospital are being partially disrupted. "If the movement is prolonged, its impact will increase further," he said.

Urging the authorities to act, he said, "We do not want the healthcare system to collapse or ordinary patients to suffer. We hope the government will accept our logical demands before that happens."

He added that the demands were linked not only to intern doctors but also to the overall development of the country's health sector and the improvement of medical education.

Hospital sources said the strike could affect services in different wards of CMCH.

CMCH Director Brig Gen Mohammad Taslim Uddin told The Business Standard that the intern doctors' movement is ongoing across the country and that two of their demands have already been accepted.

He said the remaining four demands are still under discussion, adding that while health services have been partially affected, a complete shutdown would cause a severe disruption to medical care.

"The government may reach a decision before a programme like a complete shutdown is announced," he said.