Khulna doctors on 48-hr strike protesting Rab raids

Doctors of Khulna have started a 48-hour strike closing private hospitals, clinics and chambers from 8:00am yesterday to 8:00am Sunday. 

Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA), Bangladesh Private Medical Practitioners Association and Bangladesh Private Clinics and Diagnostic Owners' Association called the strike protesting the Rab's mobile court raids against the clinics and hospitals in the last three days.

BMA took the decision Thursday night and will announce the next programme after a press conference today.

Yesterday, this correspondent found all the clinics, diagnostic centres and hospitals were closed. Patients continued to suffer as only the outdoor services were open at the government hospitals.

Syed Josim Uddin, of Mongla, brought his wife to the city to see a doctor at Shibbari but to no avail. “I hope there will be a solution soon,” he said.

Contacted, Sheikh Baharul Alam, central vice president and president of Khulna district BMA, said, “We are not against Rab or the raids but we protest the irrelevant fines and punishments…”

Khandoker Rafiqul Islam, additional DIG and director of Rab-6, told The Daily Star that on Wednesday they had fined Gazi Medical College Hospital Tk 10 lakh for running an unauthorised blood bank, storing date-expired medicines and reagent kits and deceiving patients.

The law enforcers also detained five people, including hospital owner Dr Gazi Mizanur Rahman, for not paying the fine money instantly, who were later freed after the money was paid, he added. “We do not conduct raids to humiliate anyone,” said the director of Rab-6, adding, “We will continue our drives…”

Mentionable, Gazi Mizanur is the president of Bangladesh Private Clinics and Diagnostic Owners' Association of Khulna. Contacted, he also echoed the central vice president of BMA.