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Intern doctors at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital, and Chattogram Medical College Hospital initiated an indefinite work abstention yesterday, pressing their six-point demands. The strike commenced around 8:00 AM and continued into the afternoon, significantly impacting services at the affected medical facilities.

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physicians at every level face discrimination, neglect and insecurity despite being the backbone of the country’s health system.

The core demands include the immediate cancellation of a Health Education and Family Welfare Division decision regarding FCPS training, alongside the swift enactment and implementation of the Healthcare Professionals Protection Act. Interns also seek a substantial increase in their monthly stipend to Tk 30,000 and the establishment of a separate pay scale for government physicians. Furthermore, they are calling for an extension of the maximum age limit for entry into the BCS (Health) cadre to 34 years, the upgrading of the BMDC Act-2025 into a full law, and strict legal action against fake physicians.

Demonstrations accompanied the work abstention, with intern doctors at DMCH holding a rally at the Central Shaheed Minar. Physicians at every level face discrimination, neglect, and insecurity, despite being the backbone of the health system, according to one intern doctor. Another stated that the strike was a necessary measure to defend their professional dignity and rights, vowing to continue until all demands are met.

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they had been compelled to start a strike and protest to defend their professional dignity and rights, and the work abstention would continue until all demands were met.

At Chattogram Medical College Hospital, the strike, organized by the CMCH Intern Doctors Association, severely disrupted academic activities. Regular students of the college also boycotted classes in solidarity. However, CMCH director Brig Gen Taslim Uddin claimed that healthcare services were not being disrupted due to the strike, citing an adequate number of rostered doctors to manage patient flow.

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Healthcare services in the hospital are not being disrupted due to the interns’ strike. We have an adequate number of rostered doctors available to handle the patient rush.