Mitford strike ends after 30 hours

Nurses and interns at Sir Salimullah Medical College and Hospital – better known as Mitford hospital – have returned to work ending a 30-hour strike that caused huge sufferings to the public.

However, all the services are yet to resume.

The caregivers went on a strike on Saturday protesting against an alleged assault on one of the nurses by an intern .

The interns started their eight-hour work abstention after the nurses suspended their strike on Sunday.

Many seeking medical help were forced to go back. Patients at the hospital suffered the most as none came to attend them.

The interns returned to work on 8:30pm Sunday after the hospital director assured them of taking actions after a proper investigation.

“We have called off our strike at his word,” Qazi Iftekhan Amin, interns' spokesperson, told bdnews24.com.

Nurses alleged that intern Rakibul Islam Sujon had beaten up senior nurse Bakul Rani Das on Saturday afternoon but interns deny the charge.

Caregivers at the 600-bed hospital started agitating soon afterwards forcing authorities to suspend Sujon, also the hospital’s Bangladesh Chhatra League unit joint general secretary, on Sunday.

The protesters demanded that Sujon get no certificate and medical licence.

On Sunday, they announced halting their strike until Thursday but threatened fresh programmes if authorities took no action against Sujon by then.

The interns began their strike minutes later.

Amin said their protest would continue until 10am Monday pressing for Sujon’s suspension withdrawal and steps against nurse Das.

“We’ll go on indefinite strike if our demands are not met by then,” he threatened.

Amin claimed Sujon did not assault Bakul Rani but had “a heated argument” over treating a patient.

Director Jakir Hossain claimed the interns' strike "will not affect services".

Deputy Director Abu Yusuf said they would take steps against Sujon after an inquiry.

Amin on Sunday night said the interns nearby had been asked to resume work.

“I have returned to work at the medicine department like many others,” he told bdnews24.com.