Interns 'beat' patient's son

A group of intern doctors at Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College and Hospital (SZMCH) in Bogra allegedly beat up a relative of a patient twice over a trifling matter yesterday afternoon.

After beating the patient's son, Rouf Sarkar, 35, inside the medicine ward and later in the presence of the hospital's director at his office, the interns went on an indefinite strike.

The Daily Star has obtained a video of the incident.

The patient, Alauddin Sarkar, 65, of Konagati village in Sirajganj Sadar upazila, was undergoing treatment at the hospital for the last few days, said Bina and Shetu, the patient's daughters. “As my father, a patient of cardiac ailment, was feeling cold, my brother Rouf asked an intern to show him the switch of the fan for turning it off by addressing her as 'sister' since he thought she was a nurse,” said Bina, 30.

“Suddenly, she became angry and started rebuking him,” alleged Bina. “Meanwhile, other interns rushed in and started beating my brother. They even forced him to do squats by holding his ears and made him seek apology by touching their feet.” They later confined him to a room, she alleged.

As the news spread, police arrived on the spot and got him out of the room, said Sub-inspector (SI) Shah Alam of Silimpur Police Station.

Afterwards, when Rouf went to the director's office to complain, the interns also rushed there, alleged the sisters. According to them, when they mentioned they knew the health minister, the interns started beating Rouf again in front the director and other senior doctors. The sisters alleged the interns also harassed them.

Following the incident, the interns shut down the emergency department till 4:00pm yesterday, and declared their indefinite work abstention.

“As per the request of the senior doctors, we opened the emergency department. We tried to stop the patient's son from misbehaving with one of our female fellows,” claimed Kutub Uddin, an intern at the hospital.

“We have declared the work stoppage to press home our seven-point demand, including ensuring safety of the interns,” he added. When asked, he refused to make any comment regarding the video.

Terming the incident “misunderstanding”, Brig Gen Dr AKM Masood Ahsan, director of SZMCH, said the interns and relatives of a patient locked into an argument, which was later resolved. The relatives then mentioned the name of the health minister, which triggered excitement among the interns, he said. He refuted the allegation of beating Rouf inside his office.

Rouf is in their custody now and the situation is under control, said the SI. Meanwhile, patients had to suffer immensely due to the work stoppage. Desperate, many were seen leaving the hospital for other options.