Doctors on strike in Khulna

Private hospital doctors in Khulna city have gone on a 48-hour strike, protesting vandalism and abduction of a fellow hospital doctor.

Several doctors’ associations – Bangladesh Medical Association, Bangladesh Private Medical Practitioners Association and Bangladesh Private Clinic and Diagnostic Owners’ Association began the strike on Sunday morning.

The work stoppage is said to have put hundreds of patients in difficulty.

The striking doctors have threatened to suspend all services in public hospitals as well, if the attackers are not arrested by Sunday.

On June 2, a Khulna University student, injured in a road accident, died on the way while being taken to Dhaka from the Gazi Medical College and Hospital.

His friends ransacked Gazi hospital, alleging that doctors’ negligence had caused the student’s death.

They also abducted one of the doctors.

Police rescued him the next morning from the Khulna University campus.

Doctors would hold a news conference at the Khulna Press Club around 1pm on Sunday.

Khulna University students, too, have planned a press meet on the campus to brief the media on the incident.