Psychiatrists go on strike protesting arrest of NIMH registrar
Psychiatrists of private chambers across the country are observing two-day work abstention protesting the arrest of National Institute of Mental Health and Hospital (NIMH) registrar Dr Abdullah Al Mamun in connection with the death of senior ASP Anisul Karim in a private mental health hospital.
The ASP was allegedly beaten to death by the staffers of Mind Aid Hospital in Adabor in the capital.
The decision was taken at an emergency meeting of the Bangladesh Association of Psychiatrists (BAP), the country's largest organisation of psychiatrists, on Wednesday.
They will not see any patient in their private chambers today and tomorrow.
These two days, psychiatrists have been urged to stop private practice, both online and offline.
Dr Helal Uddin Ahmed, an associate professor at the NIMH, told The Business Standard, they will not see patients in private chambers for two days.
However, patient services and clerical works will be continued in government hospitals.
Earlier in the morning, junior doctors and staff of the hospital staged a demonstration and besieged the office of the hospital director and senior doctors of the institute demanding the release of Abdullah Al Mamun.
Later, they postponed their protest programme following assurance of Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA).