Postgraduate trainee doctors on Tuesday staged a protest rally rejecting the Tk 5,000 increase in their monthly stipend. The proposed raise would take their stipend to Tk 30,000, but they called for raising the stipend to Tk 50,000, warning that they will continue their movement until their demands are met.
On Tuesday afternoon, the postgraduate trainee doctors organised a protest rally at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) in Dhaka's Shahbagh. Hundreds of doctors participated in the protest, voicing their dissatisfaction with the Tk 5,000 stipend increase.
The Finance Division issued a notification on Monday, announcing a 20 per cent increase in the allowance for unpaid Fellowship of the College of Physicians and Surgeons, or FCPS, trainees who have passed the first phase of their postgraduate studies under the Bangladesh College of Physicians and Surgeons, or BCPS.
The revised allowance takes effect from Tuesday. Bangladesh has about 10,000 postgraduate trainee doctors working across hospitals and institutes.
While pursuing their education, they also provide medical services and are prohibited from taking other jobs during this period.
On Sunday, the trainee doctors initially staged a sit-in at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, or BSMMU, in Dhaka, demanding an increase in their allowance. Later, they blocked the Shahbagh intersection, disrupting traffic in the area.
Sarjis Islam, coordinator of the Anti-discrimination Movement, spoke to the protesting doctors in the afternoon and assured them their demands would be met. The doctors then left the streets but continued their work abstention until a formal notification was issued.
After receiving the notification on Tuesday, the doctors rejected the revised allowance, deeming it inadequate. The Doctors' Movement for Justice platform issued a statement rejecting the decision, describing it as a breach of promise.
"Breaking promises with private postgraduate trainee doctors is a recurring issue. However, in this new Bangladesh, discrimination will no longer be tolerated," the statement said, adding that the demand for an allowance equivalent to the ninth grade of the government pay scale remains unmet.
"We strongly oppose this hasty decision and urge authorities to prepare for more resolute action from us," it added.
"When we took to the streets, they increased the allowance by Tk 5,000. This is not proper recognition of our contributions.
Therefore, we have rejected it. If our demand is not fulfilled by 10:00am on Thursday, we will hold a grand rally in Dhaka on Sunday. Trainee doctors from across the country will join the rally, and we will achieve our goal," Dr Jabir Hossain, President of the Doctors' Movement for Justice, said.
Postgraduate trainee doctors have been protesting since 2022 to demand an increase in their allowance.
In June 2023, more than 500 doctors protested outside the university vice-chancellor's office. They have since held protests at various times, taking up positions at the hospital gates, Shahbag, and near the Central Shaheed Minar. They have also held large-scale hunger strikes.
In response to the protests, the then Awami League government announced in July last year that they would increase their allowance from Tk 20,000 to Tk 25,000. However, trainee doctors said the allowance was still "unreasonable."
After the interim government assumed office, the doctors renewed their demand for a raise. The protesters say that they have talked to all authorities, including the BCPS, BSMMU, the Directorate General of Medical Education, the Directorate General of Health Services, and the Ministry of Health, to increase their allowance.
