Staff Correspondent

The government has announced an increase in monthly allowances for post-graduate private trainee doctors, raising the stipend to Tk 35,000.

On Monday, the finance department issued a notification in this regard, stating that the doctors will receive an allowance of Tk 30,000 from January 2025. In addition, their allowance will increase to Tk 35,000 from July 2025.

A notification signed by Syed Ali Bin Hassan, deputy secretary of the finance department, says that the monthly stipend for private unpaid resident/non-resident trainees of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University and its affiliated institutions under the Department of Health, Education and Family Welfare has been increased by 20 percent from Tk 25,000 to Tk 30,000 - which will take effect from Dec 23 this year.

The same notification further states that the monthly stipend for private unpaid resident/non-resident trainees of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University and its affiliated institutions has been set at Tk 35,000 from the next fiscal year 2025-26 - which will be effective from Jul 1, 2025.

Meanwhile, postgraduate private trainee doctors called off their strike after the government issued the notification increasing their monthly allowances.

The decision to end the strike was made during a meeting at the Dr Milon Auditorium of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University.

Dr Jabir Hossain, president of the Doctors Movement for Justice Society - an organisation of protesting doctors, told journalists that they have accepted the new allowance set by the government considering the current situation.

"We will rejoin work from 8am tomorrow. However, if Tk 35,000 is not paid from July and our demands for an increment in line with the price of goods is not properly met, then we will be forced to take to the streets again. We do not want to take to the streets every time."