Post graduate trainees, intern doctors stage sit-in for wage hike, arrears

The post graduate trainees and intern doctors have staged a sit-in programme in front of Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery today (23 March), demanding salary hike and payment of their arrears.

Earlier in the morning, the protesting trainee and intern doctors staged demonstration in front of National Shaheed Minar.

Later, they met Health Minister Samanta Lal Sen and put forward their demands.

The health minister assured them that after holding an emergency meeting, he will announce a decision by 12pm tomorrow.

Dr Jabir Hossain, president of the Post Graduate Private Trainee Doctors Association, told The Business Standard that postgraduate trainees and intern doctors from across the country have gathered in Dhaka. 

He said they have not received allowances for nine months due to unfulfilled promises in the past. Therefore, they have decided to continue their movement.

"Currently, we are solely attending to duties in the hospital's emergency department, where critical patients require immediate attention. However, if our demands are not met, we will also stop performing duties at emergency departments," he added.

Their demands include increasing the salary of intern doctors to Tk30,000 and the salary of postgraduate private trainee doctors to Tk50,000. They also call for the timely payment of dues to post graduate trainee physicians (FCPS, resident and non-resident).

The agitating trainee and intern doctors gave a 24-hour ultimatum to fulfil their demands.