Intern, trainee doctors call for 48-hour work abstention

Postgraduate private trainee doctors have been observing programmes demanding nine months due salaries. Now, the intern doctors have also joined with them expressing solidarity. As part of the movement, they have announced a 48-hour work abstention demanding raising salary, payment of due salaries and allowances.

On Saturday (March 23), the post-graduate and intern doctors were assembled at the Central Shaheed Minar to press home their demands. Following their programme, Post-Graduate Private Trainee Doctors Association president Dr Zabir Hossain and general secretary Dr Md Nurunnabi issued a notice on Saturday announcing the 48-hour work abstention programme.

In the notice, the doctors raised their demands. Their demands include payment of monthly allowance of Tk 50,000 to postgraduate doctors and Tk 30,000 to intern doctors.

Besides, the outstanding allowances of the FCPS, resident and non-resident physicians will have to pay. The allowances of resident and non-resident physicians of 12 private institutions under the BSMMU will have to re-introduce and the Doctors Safeguard Act will have to be passed in parliament.

At one stage of the programme, the agitating doctors met Health Minister Dr Samanta Lal Sen at Sheikh Hasina National Burn and Plastic Surgery Institute in the capital and informed him about their four-point demands.

In response, the health minister assured them of meeting their demands as early as possible.