RAJSHAHI: All medical services of the district came to a halt as doctors went on strike Friday morning in protest against sending a doctors’ leader to jail in a murder case over a patient’s death for mistreatment.

Doctors, nurses and employees at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, others government and private hospitals, private clinics, nursing homes, diagnostic centers are observing work abstention and announced discontinuity to provide their services.

District unit of Bangladesh Private Clinic and Diagnostic Owners Association announced the work abstention at a press conference in Mukti Clinic of the metropolis on Thursday where leaders of Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA) expressed solidarity to the demonstration.

BMA Central Vice President Tabibur Rahman told banglanews “In final probe report submitted by police, no evidence was found against anyone over the murder charge, but orthopedic specialist Dr Shamiul Uddin Ahmed Shimul was sent to jail, it seems like harassment.”

“Doctors will observe the work abstention until his release,” Tabibur said.

A businessman from Chapainawabganj, Anwarul Haque, died at Dolphin Clinic, owned by Shimul, in the city less than half-an-hour after he was taken to operation theatre for a surgery on his broken right leg on January 30.

Following the death, his wife Sharmin Akter filed a murder case with Boalia Police Station of the city accusing Dr Shimul, two unidentified doctors and one other.
 
Police produced Shimul before a court and later he was sent to jail denying bail.  Shimul is the district organizing secretary of Swadhinata Chikitsak Parishad (Swachip) and joint secretary of BMA.

BDST: 0948 HRS, MAR 28, 2014