Dhaka Medical College interns go on indefinite strike over six demands

Intern doctors at Dhaka Medical College Hospital have declared an indefinite work abstention starting from Sunday morning, June 7, pressing six demands. The announcement was made in an emergency notice issued by the Dhaka Medical College Hospital Intern Doctors Society on Saturday night, June 6.

In the notice, the intern doctors expressed deep concern over discriminatory and unreasonable proposals raised in a health ministry memorandum, including discrimination in the salary structure for doctors pursuing FCPS courses, excessive admission fees, inadequate salaries for intern and trainee doctors, lack of security at workplaces, and uncertainty over salary structures for private doctors.

Despite repeated appeals, protests and assurances from authorities, no visible, effective and satisfactory steps have been taken to address their legitimate demands, the notice said.

The Intern Doctors Society stated that the indefinite strike will continue until the legitimate demands are met. They also called upon authorities to accept the demands through dialogue.

Six demands of intern doctors:

Cancellation of the proposal by the committee on placement policy for private trainees who have passed FCPS Part-1.

Reduction of BMU and BCPS admission fees to between Tk 500 and Tk 1,000.

Fixing intern doctors' minimum salary at Tk 30,000 in line with the new pay scale, and trainee doctors' salary at Grade-9 level with allowances, with monthly payment on time.

Enactment of a Health Protection Act.

Raising the age limit for BCS health cadre recruitment to 34 years (two years more than general candidates).

Formulation of a clear salary structure for doctors working in private institutions (proper application of Labour Act 2006 and adherence to pay scale standards).