Staff Correspondent

Postgraduate trainee doctors have called off their sit-in at Dhaka’s Shahbagh after receiving assurances that their demands will be met.

However, their work stoppage will continue.

They began blocking the Shahbagh intersection around 1pm on Sunday, demanding an increase in their stipend from Tk 25,000 to Tk 50,000.
The blockade paralysed traffic on the busy road for hours.

Dr Jabir Hossain, president of the Postgraduate Private Trainee Doctors Association, told bdnews24.com: "Sarjis Alam, coordinator of the Anti-discrimination Student Movement, joined us this afternoon to discuss our demands. He assured us that postgraduate trainee doctors would be placed in grade nine, and a gazette notification would be issued by Thursday. Based on his assurance, we have withdrawn the sit-in but will continue the work stoppage until the gazette is published."
Shahbagh Police Station chief Mohammad Khalid Mansur confirmed that the protesters vacated the road at 5:30pm, allowing traffic to resume.

Bangladesh has about 10,000 postgraduate trainee doctors working across hospitals and institutes.

While pursuing their education, they also provide medical services and are prohibited from taking other jobs during this period.

Postgraduate trainee doctors have been protesting since 2022 to demand an increase in their allowance.

In June 2023, more than 500 doctors protested outside the university’s vice-chancellor’s office.

They have since held protests at various times, taking up positions at the hospital gates, Shahbagh, and near the Central Shaheed Minar. They have also held large-scale hunger strikes.

In response to the protests, the then Awami League government announced in July last year that they would increase their allowance from Tk 20,000 to Tk 25,000.

However, trainee doctors said the allowance was still “unreasonable”.

After the interim government assumed office, the doctors renewed their demand for a raise.

The protesters say that they have talked to all authorities, including the BCPS, BSMMU, the Directorate General of Medical Education, the Directorate General of Health Services, and the Ministry of Health, to increase their allowance.

Everyone they spoke to called the demand for an increase in allowance 'reasonable' and gave assurances that it would be implemented quickly, the protesters said.

The trainee doctors also said that the recommendation for an increase in allowance had been sent to the Ministry of Finance, but there was no further progress there.
The following day, Dec 15, a meeting was held at the finance ministry with representatives of the doctors, the Citizens' Committee, and Anti-discrimination Student Movement spokesman Sarjis.

There, it was announced that the document would be approved and sent to the health ministry accordingly.

However, the process stalled, prompting the doctors to resume their protests, said Jabir.