Intern doctors call off nationwide strike upon health minister’s assurance

The protesting postgraduate trainees and intern doctors have called off their strike after receiving assurance from Health Minister Dr Samanta Lal Sen regarding an increase in their salary and allowances.

Leaders of the Postgraduate Private Trainee Doctors Association announced the withdrawal of the strike after a meeting with the minister on Thursday (28 March) afternoon.

At the meeting, the health minister stated that the intern doctors had been demanding their salary increase for a long time.

"The demand of the protesting intern doctors is reasonable. It is not possible to run in this market with this inadequate wage," he said.

Mentioning that he had agreed with their demands from the very beginning, the minister acknowledged their vital role in sustaining hospital operations.

The health minister mentioned that the prime minister has assured to address the issue, urging the doctors to resume their duties. 

He said the timeline for the salary increase can be determined after Eid. 

However, he assured that the arrears and allowances will be disbursed before Eid, and the allowances for the 12 closed institutes will be initiated as well.

Post graduate trainees went on work abstention on 23 March. Later, intern doctors also joined the protest. 

Their demands include increasing the salary of intern doctors to Tk30,000 and the salary of postgraduate private trainee doctors to Tk50,000. 

They also call for the timely payment of dues to post graduate trainee physicians (FCPS, resident and non-resident).