Sylhet Nursing College closed over unrest

Students of Sylhet Nursing College stage a sit-in on the campus yesterday protesting an attack on some student nurses allegedly by interns at MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital. Photo: Star

The authorities of Sylhet Nursing College yesterday shut down the college for an indefinite period as the students have been demonstrating protesting an attack on student nurses allegedly by interns at MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital early Monday.
Students have been asked to vacate the dormitories by 6:00pm, said Tanmoy Bhhattacharjya, deputy director of the hospital, reports our Sylhet correspondent.
The authorities have decided to shut down the college to prevent untoward situations as students are continuing to demonstrate, including observing work abstention at the hospital, said Bhhattacharjya.     
However, services in the hospital have not been hampered as the staff nurses are on full duty, he added.
The students wearing black badges staged a sit-in on the college premises yesterday. Many students said they will continue demonstrating until the attackers are punished.
Police have been deployed at the college and hospital.
A total of 286 students of the college are serving at the hospital currently. All students have to provide service to the hospital from their first year as a part of their academic education, said Shilpi Chakravarty, principal of the college.
Meanwhile, the interns at a press conference at Sylhet Press Club denied the allegation and claimed the nurses were spreading propaganda against the interns.
President of Intern Physicians' Association of the hospital Joy Shaha claimed it was the nurses who attacked an intern, Tofayel Ahmed, after an argument.    

Services at hospital were halted for seven hours on Monday as nursed observed work abstention protesting the attack.
The nurses alleged Tofayel Ahmed and Jony Lal Das beat up Proloy Chandra Bepari as the nurse arrived late at the hospital after being called there at around 12:30am. When some fellow nursed inquired about the beating, they also came under attack by Tofayel and his colleagues.           
The hospital formed a five-member probe committee that began investigating the incident yesterday. The committee was asked to submit a report within seven days.
Meanwhile, students of Chittagong Nursing College demonstrated on the campus yesterday protesting the attack on student nurses at the Sylhet hospital, reports our Chittagong correspondent.
Demanding that the authorities concerned cancel internship of the accused interns, the students boycotted academic activities and also observed work abstention at Chittagong Medical College Hospital.
Also protesting the attacks, students of Barisal Nursing College brought out a procession and held a rally on the Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital premises, according to our Barisal correspondent.    
This hampered services at the hospital for about two hours.