Intern doctors threaten nationwide strike Sunday over six-point demand list
Intern doctors at Chattogram Medical College Hospital (CMCH) have issued an ultimatum to the government, threatening an indefinite nationwide work stoppage starting Sunday if their six-point list of demands is not met. The ultimatum was declared during a demonstration held in front of the hospital’s main gate on Saturday afternoon.
The ongoing unrest, which began last Thursday, was triggered by recent directives from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare regarding FCPS training. Interns have voiced strong opposition to measures that include the suspension of new postings in certain departments at Dhaka Medical College and Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College hospitals, a mandatory two-year service requirement in sub-district health facilities, and restricted merit-based allowances.
The protestors are demanding the immediate withdrawal of the ministry’s May 19 notification regarding FCPS training and the issuance of a new, inclusive policy. Their broader list of demands includes the enactment of a Healthcare Worker Protection Act enforced by a speedy trial tribunal, a fixed monthly allowance of 30,000 BDT for intern doctors, and the establishment of a separate pay structure for government physicians. Furthermore, they are calling for the age limit for the BCS Health cadre to be raised to 34 years, the conversion of the BMDC Act-2025 into a comprehensive law, stricter legal action against fraudulent medical practitioners, and a cap on admission fees for exams under the BMDC and medical universities at 1,000 BDT.
In response to the growing pressure, the Bangladesh College of Physicians and Surgeons (BCPS) issued a notice stating that, following discussions with the Health Ministry, the mandatory requirement for training in sub-district facilities has been canceled. The notice further clarified that private trainees who have passed the first part of the FCPS examinations will now be eligible for training allowances if they undergo their training at BCPS-recognized government medical college hospitals and institutes.
Despite these assurances, student leaders at CMCH remain dissatisfied, asserting that the government's concessions fall short of their comprehensive demands. During Saturday’s protest, CMCH Intern Doctors Association President Sakib Hossain emphasized the disparity between their current workload and compensation. He argued that the existing allowance is insufficient to meet the rising cost of living and insisted that intern doctors should receive 30,000 BDT monthly, while trainee doctors should receive at least 50,000 BDT, aligned with the ninth grade of the national pay scale. The association has vowed to continue its protest until all six demands are formally addressed, setting a deadline for tonight before initiating their nationwide strike on Sunday morning.
