PHYSICIANS of BIRDEM hospital called off a strike on Wednesday after 31 hours of letting patients suffer unattended as they held protests on two consecutive days at the Shahbagh intersection against the physical assault on some of their fellow doctors jointly by a police officer and a political cadre. News reports said three BIRDEM physicians were manhandled by a city additional superintendent of police and an assistant private secretary of the former labour minister blaming the physicians for the death of a patient allegedly from neglect of duty. Report said the physicians were demanding suspension of the police officer as a condition to return to their duty but the police authorities equally remained adamant and did not punish him for the attack. But as the suffering of patients were at the peak physicians were taking to the streets at a time when at least 25,000 patients receive daily treatment from BIRDEM out-door facilities, on diabetic related sickness, the matter quickly drew public attention.
As criticisms were pouring in from all quarters for holding the patients hostage and even blocking movement of patients to Bangabandhu Medical University Hospital, police administration at last agreed to defuse the protest putting the officer under closure. Earlier Health Minister Mohammad Nasim warned the police administration that he would stop all supply to police hospitals if the police authorities do not put the officer in question under closure. The threat worked and physicians also immediately joined the work to end the deadlock.
It appears that everything was whimsical. But the most basic question is why a police officer in uniform would attack BIRDEM physicians with a ruling party political cadre on his side. A patient may die in a hospital; it is also not unlikely that some body may also suffer from physicians’ wrong treatment or neglect to duty. But every allegation has a proper way of handling. It is true that death may essentially cause emotion; but it does not mean that attacks on doctors may bring the remedy. Especially a police officer can’t indulge in attacking on duty physicians while he is expected to enforce peace and discipline at all levels. We hold the view that he must be punished, in addition to his initial closure. BIRDEM management should also investigate if there were any irregularities in the treatment and the matter must be made clear.
We hold the view that both the services of the physicians and also of police men are equally important to the nation. They represent highly important service windows to the nation but if they do not behave properly and indulge in political muscle flexing instead of sorting out things peacefully and politely, law and order is bound to break apart and health services are also bound to suffer. We are appalled by the fact that political priority to recruitment and posting is destroying the foundation of our service discipline and situation may only improve if quality and merits of persons in question dominate recruitment and promotions instead of blind loyalty to the party which rules. We look for the change.
