The agitated doctors and other hospital staff have formed human chain and staged demonstration on the hospital premises since Thursday morning to press home their four-point demand. Photo: Observer
Doctors at Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital continue their strike for the second consecutive day on Thursday protesting the assault on doctor and nurses at the hospital, following the death of a patient.
Due to the strike, all medical services except the emergency department, which resumed in the afternoon after a team from the army visited the hospital, remained closed.
In this circumstance, more than 500 patients, who were admitted to the hospital, have left and the hospital nearly empty.
Private chambers in solidarity with the ongoing protest have stopped seeing patients and students from Cox's Bazar Medical College have joined the demonstration as well.
The agitated doctors and other hospital staff have formed human chain and staged demonstration on the hospital premises since Thursday morning to press home their four-point demand. They have warned that if their demands are not met, they will shut down even the emergency services.
Dr Ashekur Rahman, a resident medical officer of Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital, said their four-point demands are – arresting of the real accused and necessary administrative actions to ensure their punishment, publishing of their names and photos in media, ensuring uninterrupted security for all doctors, nurses, and staff, as well as the entire hospital and filing of vandalism case by hospital administration by evening, alongside proving full medical care and compensation to the injured doctor.
Meanwhile, the injured doctor Sajib Kazi, as a plaintiff, filed a case with Cox's Bazar Sadar police station on Wednesday night (September11) over the assault.
Additional Superintendent of Police (Sadar Circle) Mizanur Rahman said police arrested two persons in this connection.
The arrestees are Tahsin Mohammad Reza, 25, son of Mohammad Selim Reza of Baharchara area of Cox’s Bazar municipality, and his brother Tamim Mohammad Reza, 22.
The case names 20-25 individuals, and two have already been arrested, Mizanur Rahman said, adding that efforts are ongoing to bring all those involved to justice.
He said that they have sought a seven-day remand for the two arrestees. The court has sent them to jail and scheduled a hearing on the remand later date, he said.
Besides, Dr Maung Ting Neo, superintendent of Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital, said that a committee has already been formed to investigate the vandalism at the hospital.
Doctors, nurses, and staff are unwilling to provide services outside the emergency department unless security is ensured for them, he said.
Efforts are underway to normalise the situation, he said adding that a case is expected to be filed by the evening on behalf of the hospital administration.
