7 sacked doctors serve legal notice

Seven out of 11 terminated doctors of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) yesterday served a joint legal notice to the BSMMU authorities seeking justice while two others applied for contractual appointments.
Advocate Ahsanul Karim served the notice on behalf of Prof Matiur Rahman Mollah of Dental Department, Prof Nasim Akhter Chowdhury of Gynaecology, Prof Abul Kashem Chowdhury of Microbiology, Prof SA Khan of Transplant Urology, Jahangir Kabir of Nephrology, Prof Sayeba Akhter of Gynaecology and Associate Prof Sharif Hossain of Plastic Surgery.
Prof Sayeba Akhter of Gynaecology yesterday also submitted a letter to University Registrar Abdul Gafur to review her termination.
Prof Mizanur Rahman of Radiology and Prof Nazrul Islam of Cardiology applied for contractual appointments as per the Public Servants (retirements) Act, 1974 that allows the retired persons to join any autonomous institute on a contract basis.
Ten professors and an associate professor of different departments of BSMMU were dismissed on Tuesday for their alleged political affiliation.
University Registrar Abdul Gafur who served the termination letter to those teachers told The Daily Star the 11 were relieved of their jobs because their appointments flouted the Public Servants (retirements) Act, 1974 that prohibits recruitment of retired government officials as permanent employees.
Prof Akram Hossain, Chief Estate Officer of BSMMU said that they received the legal notice on Wednesday morning.
BSMMU is overstaffed with 3,600 employees, including doctors and nurses in spite of the fact that the number of authorised posts is only 1,600.
Earlier, on March 22 the then BSMMU vice chancellor Prof Nazrul Islam, Pro-VCs Choudhury Ali Kawser and Mohammed Kamal, and treasurer Ruhul Amin Miah resigned following an order from the health ministry.
The government later appointed Dr Pran Gopal Dutta as the vice chancellor of BSMMU. Pran Gopal belongs to pro-Awami League doctors' forum Swadhinata Chikitsak Parishad and he is personal physician of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Besides, Prof AKM Anisul Haque of Neuro-medicine and Prof Dr Mohammad Shahidullah of Neonatology were appointed as pro-vice chancellors while Prof Dr Moazzem Hossain of Child Nephrology was made treasurer.
DAB Press Conference
Leaders of pro-BNP doctors' wing Doctors Association of Bangladesh (DAB) demanded immediate cancellation of the dismissal order of 11 doctors, unconditional release of Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA) Secretary General AZM Zahid Hossain before BMA election scheduled to be held in November.
They also demanded immediate cancellation of all DAB leaders' transfer orders issued by the Awami League government in past nine months. SM Rafiqul Islam Bacchu, DAB acting secretary general read out a written statement at the press conference at National Press Club yesterday.
DAB President Prof AKM Azizul Haque also called upon the health minister to resign his political position as president of Swadhinata Chikitsak Parishad to create a congenial atmosphere for BMA election.