Tangail Correspondent: Intern doctors at Tangail Medical College Hospital yesterday called off their work stoppage and returned to duty after MP Abdus Salam Pintu intervened in a dispute over the alleged assault of a colleague.
The interns withdrew their movement following a meeting with the hospital administration, medical college authorities and the Tangail-2 lawmaker, who assured them that steps would be taken to address their demands, including ensuring a safer workplace.
The five-point demands included the arrest of the alleged attacker, deployment of emergency medical officers and mid-level doctors, tighter control over visitors and a proper duty roster for Ansar personnel to strengthen security at the hospital.
Salam Pintu, MP for Tangail-2 (Gopalpur-Bhuapur) and chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Food, rushed to the hospital yesterday after learning about the strike.
He met the protesting interns and listened to their grievances before joining the meeting with hospital and medical college officials.
“My father was a physician and my daughter is also a doctor. Despite many challenges, doctors continue to serve people. Yet doctors are attacked at different places and at different times,” he said.
“What happened here is deeply regrettable. I hope such incidents do not occur here or anywhere else in Bangladesh.”
Salam Pintu said his younger brother, Tangail-5 MP and State Minister for Fisheries and Livestock Sultan Salahuddin Tuku, is currently abroad on government business and serves as chairman of the hospital management committee.
“I will speak to the DC and the SP today so that effective action is taken quickly over the incident. You return to work. I will stand by you whenever you face any problem,” he told the interns.
He also assured them that their other concerns would be raised with the prime minister and in Parliament.
“You make an effort, and we will also make an effort. If we work together, Tangail, including this hospital, will move forward,” he said.
The protest followed an alleged assault on intern doctor Dr Md Al-Amin Siddiqui at the hospital on Thursday morning after the death of a patient undergoing treatment.
Hospital Director Dr Md Abdul Quddus later filed a written complaint with Tangail Sadar Police Station over the incident.
The complaint named Mosaddek Ali Khansur Tuhin, Polly Khansur and Khandakar Badrul Rahman Babul, along with two to three unidentified people, as alleged attackers.
The interns had stopped work demanding action against those responsible and stronger security measures to protect doctors and other healthcare workers while on duty.
