Army personnel beaten for protesting, interns go on work abstention in dramatic turn of events

Intern doctors at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RMCH) have announced a 24-hour work abstention on Tuesday.

This decision came following an alleged assault on army personnel and his brother after a confrontation over claims of medical negligence.

The incident involved Lance Corporal Sohel Ali, 29, and his brother Joy Ali, 24, residents of Dharmohata village in Rajshahi’s Charghat upazila.

Their mother, Jolyara Begum, 50, was admitted to ward 36 of RMCH on Sunday with illness and died the following evening while undergoing treatment.

Family members alleged that negligence in treatment led to her death. Following the incident, Sohel Ali and his brother reportedly confronted on-duty intern doctors Tania Akter and Md Shibli, raising objections over the treatment process.

The situation escalated when Sohel Ali began recording the conversation on his mobile phone, triggering an altercation. Hospital sources said other intern doctors later joined in and allegedly assaulted the two brothers, leaving Sohel Ali injured in the face.

He was reportedly confined to a room for several hours before receiving primary treatment. Later, police were called and both brothers were handed over to law enforcement.

Following the incident, the hospital’s ward master filed a case early Tuesday, naming Sohel Ali and Joy Ali as accused along with an unidentified person. The case alleges obstruction of government duties and threatening behaviour against medical staff.

Rajpara Police Station officer-in-charge (OC) Abu Kalam Azad said the body of the deceased was handed over to the family.

He added that Joy Ali has been arrested and sent to court, while Sohel Ali has been handed over to the military for further legal proceedings under military jurisdiction.

Meanwhile, intern doctors claimed they had been facing repeated harassment and “mob attacks” from patient attendants over the past two days. Protesting the incident, the Intern Doctors’ Society announced a 24-hour work abstention from Tuesday morning and staged a human chain in front of the hospital’s administrative building.

Due to the work stoppage, patients at the hospital reportedly faced difficulties in receiving services from intern doctors in the wards.

RMCH spokesperson Dr Shankar Kumar Biswas said he was not fully informed about the details of the incident.

RHF/AM