Protest over RU student’s death: RMCH intern doctors decide to call off strike

Intern doctors at Rajshahi Medical College have called off their strike called in protest of Rajshahi University students' "protest and vandalism" over the death of a fellow student.

The decision to relax the strike was taken at a meeting of the RMCH Intern Doctors' Council around 4:30pm today (October 20, 2022), Imran Hossain, convener of the council, confirmed the matter to The Daily Star.

"We have relaxed our strike from now on. Intern doctors are starting their duties in a short time in the necessary areas, including the emergency department," said Imran, reports our Rajshahi staff correspondent.

All the intern doctors will join work by withdrawing the strike completely by tomorrow morning, he added.

KGM Shahriar, a fourth-year student of marketing department of Rajshahi University, was injured after falling from the third floor of Shaheed Habibur Rahman Hall on RU campus last night. He died while undergoing treatment at RMCH around 9:00pm.

Alleging negligence in Shahriar's treatment, his classmates started protesting and vandalising RMCH. At that time, some intern doctors and hospital staff reportedly beat up the protesting students.

The intern doctors left the hospital at 12:00am in protest against the attack and vandalism. Patients and relatives suffered due to the strike.

Meanwhile, the hospital authorities have lodged a complaint with police in connection with the attack and vandalism of the students.

Brig Gen Shamim Yazdani, director of the hospital, told The Daily Star, "Our acting administrative officer Anwar Hossain filed a complaint with Rajpara Police Station in connection with the vandalism. Although no one has been named, the allegations have been made against an unknown number of unruly RU students."

"It has been mentioned in the complaint that the emergency and mini operation theatres of the hospital were vandalised," he said.

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Protest over RU student’s death: RMCH intern doctors go on strike