Doctors announce nationwide hospital shutdown

Doctors across the country have announced a complete shutdown of all public and private hospitals starting today (1 September) with a four-point demand, including the arrest of those involved in the assault on doctors in Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) yesterday.

The doctors said the shutdown will continue until their demands are met.

When asked about who will take responsibility if anyone die for a lack of treatment during the shutdown, protesting doctors said that the administration will be responsible for any such incident.

"The sooner they will accept our demand, the better. We will start giving treatment as soon as our demands are met," the doctors said.

The four-point demands presented by the doctors are:

• All individuals or groups involved in the attack inside DMCH must be identified and arrested within the next 24 hours and brought to justice under the Speedy Trial Act.
• To ensure a safe workplace, security must be immediately ensured at all healthcare institutions in the country through the deployment of armed "health police".
• To provide safe healthcare, no outsiders other than patients' visitors (visitor cardholders) should be allowed to enter the hospital, with security ensured by armed "health police".
• If any irregularities or negligence in patient care are observed at the hospital, appropriate action should be taken through complaints to the relevant authorities. Under no circumstances should individuals take the law into their own hands.

Earlier today, the DMCH doctors went on a strike to protest the attack on doctors on the DMCH premises.