Staff Correspondent

Members of the Bangladesh Paediatric Association (BPA) organ- ised a sit-in protest and a press conference at the office of the new Director General (DG) of health on Wednesday demanding the resolu- tion of promotion bottlenecks and the elimination of inter- and intra- cadre disparities through the rapid promotion of paediatricians in the same way as other medical cadres, including in-situ/OSD attachments. The following paediatricians delivered speeches at the sit-in: Professor Mesbah Uddin Ahmed, Convenor, Bangladesh Pediatric Association (BPA), Professor Dr. Ziaur Rahman Chowdhury, Principal, Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College, Professor Dr. Md. Mostafizur Rahman, Head of Department (Pediatrics), Sir Salimullah Medical College, Dr. Yamin Shahriar Chowdhury, Associate Professor, National Institute of Neurosciences & Hospital, Dr. Shafikul Islam, Associate Professor, Sir Salimullah Medical College, Dr. Mohammad Monir Hossain, Assistant Professor, Sir Salimullah Medical College, Dr. Belayet Hossain Dholi, Assistant Professor, Chattogram Medical College and General Secretary, Bangladesh Pediatric Association (BPA), Dr. M.S. Khaled, Associate Professor, National Institute of Diseases of the Chest & Hospital, Dr. Ainul Islam Khan, Associate Professor, Tangail Medical College, Dr. Abdur Rouf, Associate Professor, Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Dr. Sajjad Hossain, Senior
Consultant, Mugda Medical College, Dr. A.S.M. Mahmuduzzaman, Assistant Professor, Shaheed Sohrawardi Medical College Hospital, Dr. Monir Hossain, Assistant Professor, National Institute of Neurosciences & Hospital, Dr. Masuma Akter, Senior Consultant, Bangladesh Police Hospital, Dr. Mushtaba Sheera Mousumi, Junior Consultant, Dohar Upazila Health Complex.

The speakers highlighted on importances of paediatrics in public health, shortage of paediatric special- ists and inequality in promotion.

The paediatricians outlined their demands including equalisation of promotions, addressing the shortage of positions, increasing paediatric hospital beds and establishing a national institute of child health.

They expressed that without addressing these issues, the country's progress in child health would be significantly hindered, leading to greater child mortality and overall development setbacks for the nation.

During a sit-in programme, speakers, including the convener of the Bangladesh Paediatric Association, Professor Dr. Mezbah Uddin Ahmed, stated that if their demands are not met promptly, government paediatric specialists will be forced to take stricter actions.

Dr. Mehdi Hasan, Focal Person of the Directorate General of health services, renowned paediatric specialist Professor Abid Hossain Molla, and paediatric specialist Professor Shakil Ahmed expressed their solidarity by attending the event. Later, the promotion committee of the BPA submitted a memorandum to the Health Adviser through the Director General of health services, Professor Dr. Md. Abu Jafar. Based on the advice and assurances from the Director General, this programme concluded.