Specialist physicians threaten strike over unmet demands
- Update Time : Tuesday, 25 February, 2025, 06:58 pm
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Online Desk : The BCS (Health) Cadre Specialist Doctors Forum have issued a one-week ultimatum to the government, demanding supernumerary promotions to address discrimination and improve healthcare and medical education. If their five key demands are not met by March 7, they will launch a two-hour daily strike from March 8 to 10. The warning came during a press conference held Tuesday afternoon in the conference room at Dhaka Medical College. The doctors expressed frustration over repeated appeals to authorities falling on deaf ears, forcing them to consider drastic action. If chaos erupts in the health system during this programme, the Ministry of Health will bear the blame, they declared.
The forum framed their demands as part of a broader mission to build an equitable Bangladesh following the overthrow of the “fascist” regime in a bloody mass uprising. “Our new freedom aims to erase discrimination at every level,” the forum said, “We’re committed to working with the interim government, the Directorate General of Health Services, and the Ministry of Health to forge a new, fair system—and we’re a vital part of that effort.”
Highlighting their dedication, the doctors noted their relentless service during the July-August violence, despite fascist oppression. Yet, they accused the previous 15-year regime of crippling health services and education, leaving the health cadre among the most neglected of Bangladesh’s 26 cadres.
Their five demands include:
- Merit-based promotions: Doctors denied promotions under the prior government should be elevated based on merit.
- New posts: With a backlog of promotion candidates, new specialist positions must be created to meet public healthcare needs.
- Supernumerary relief: Additional posts or in situ promotions should be granted from existing applicants to ease bottlenecks and boost services.
- Broad promotions: Merit-based supernumerary promotions to assistant, associate, and professor roles across all specialties, with in situ options as needed.
- Timely policy: With retirements mounting and student numbers rising, promotion rules should occur twice yearly to curb intra- and inter-cadre disparities.
Dr Mirza Md Asaduzzaman Ratan, convener of the forum, and Dr Mohammad Al Amin, member secretary, among others, spoke at the press conference.
