Intern doctors call off strike for a week; duties to resume tomorrow
The development comes after the government assures meeting of demands within seven working days
Intern doctors across Bangladesh have suspended their nationwide work stoppage after receiving government assurances that their key demands will be addressed within seven working days.
All intern and postgraduate trainee doctors are set to resume duties from tomorrow (9 June).
The decision followed a meeting at the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) today between Health Secretary Md Kamruzzaman Chowdhury, DGHS Director General Prof Dr Prabhat Chandra Biswas and a delegation of intern doctors. Following the talks, the doctors withdrew their work stoppage.
A joint statement issued by the Ministry of Health last night said stipends for intern and postgraduate trainee doctors would be increased proportionately in line with the government's strategy for implementing the new pay scale.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
The statement also said all private trainee doctors would receive allowances after passing FCPS Part 1 and MD/MS (Phase-1) examinations, with monthly payments ensured.
It added that steps would be taken to implement the Health Protection Act through stakeholder consultations and due process. A recommendation would also be forwarded to consider raising the entry age limit for the BCS Health Cadre.
In addition, examination fees for the Bangladesh College of Physicians and Surgeons (BCPS) and Bangladesh Medical University will be set at a reasonable level with support from the Ministry of Health.
The statement said a separate initiative would be undertaken to develop a dignified salary structure for entry-level doctors employed in private hospitals, clinics and medical colleges.
Following the government's assurances, representatives of intern and postgraduate trainee doctors decided to withdraw both their ongoing work stoppage and their boycott of ward duties and academic classes.
Speaking after the meeting, Intern Doctors' Society President Dr Mostofa Amir Faisal said all doctors would return to work from Tuesday (today) and that the strike had been suspended for one week.
He said the authorities had provided positive assurances regarding an increase in allowances in line with the new pay scale ratio and had taken a clear position on several key demands.
The strike began on Sunday when intern doctors launched an indefinite work stoppage to press home their six-point demand. They had earlier staged human chains on Saturday, while medical students boycotted classes. Postgraduate trainee doctors joined the work stoppage yesterday.
The doctors' demands include the withdrawal of a 19 May directive on FCPS training and the issuance of a revised policy, enactment of a Health Worker Protection Act with provisions for speedy trial, an increase in intern doctors' monthly allowance to Tk30,000, and the introduction of a separate pay structure for government doctors.
They have also called for raising the entry age limit for the BCS Health Cadre to 34 years, enacting the BMDC Act 2025 as a full law rather than an ordinance, taking strict action against fake doctors, and capping admission and examination fees under the Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council and Bangladesh Medical University at Tk1,000.
