Nursing students in Kushtia protest "demanding money to allow internships"
Students of a private nursing institute in Kushtia staged a human chain to protest the demand of money to allow their internships.
While protesting today (May 21, 2022), students of Gurukul Nursing Institute blocked the office of the Kushtia General Hospital supervisor, our local correspondent reports.
Laboni Khatun, the institute's student governor, said nursing courses are being taught at their institution since 2015. Since then, the students have been continuously doing practical training at the 250-bed Kushtia General Hospital. But, its current Superintendent Dr MA Momen suddenly stopped it, she said.
When she (Laboni) spoke to the superintendent about this, he asked her to get permission from the Health Department for the internship. Even though there was no such provision, they applied to the Health Directorate. She said the application is under process.
She alleged that the superintendent has allowed two more private nursing institutes in Kushtia, which are in the same area, to conduct practical training.
The Gurukul authorities also contacted the Directorate General of Health Services and came to know that neither of the two institutes had obtained training permit from it. The authorities of the institute then contacted Dr Momen and he asked them to meet him.
When Laboni Khatun went to meet the superintendent, he demanded Tk 30,000 per student, she claimed. If the amount is given, he will allow the internship, said Laboni.
Around 11 am this morning, the students of the nursing institute took a stand in front of the hospital superintendent's office.
There are 113 students in the Gurukul Nursing Institute.
Roshanara Akhter, a second-year student of the nursing institute, said she got the opportunity to study at the institute at half the regular fee. She will not be able to complete this internship by paying the extra amount as her family simply cannot afford it.
Papia Khatun, another student, said if this happens, many of the disadvantaged students will have to give up their studies.
However, the Superintendent of Kushtia General Hospital, Dr MA Momen, denied the allegation of asking for money. He said giving the permission is not up to him alone as there is a team who take the decision.
He said he needed time to examine the matter better.
The protest was going on till filing this report at 3:00 pm.
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