BCS specialist doctors to go on strike from Saturday

BCS (Health) Cadre Specialist Doctors’ Forum has announced a three-day work stoppage starting Saturday, demanding fair promotions and the elimination of all forms of discrimination in the healthcare sector.

In a press release issued on Friday (March 7) and signed by Dr. Mohammad Al Amin on behalf of the forum, it was stated that the protest will take place daily from 10 AM to 12 PM on March 8, 9, and 10. This follows the forum’s initial announcement of the program at a press conference on February 25.

According to the press release, specialist doctors working in government hospitals across Bangladesh have called for this movement to secure justified promotions and to eliminate all professional disparities. The strike is being organized under the initiative of the BCS (Health) Cadre Specialist Doctors’ Forum, with support from various medical societies.

During the strike, doctors will hold silent protests in front of hospitals, carrying banners. However, emergency services will remain operational to ensure critical patient care is not disrupted. The forum has also issued a warning that if their demands are not met, a full-day indefinite strike will commence from March 11.

The two key demands of the doctors’ forum:

1. Ensuring timely promotions for all eligible specialist doctors to maintain the standard of medical education and uphold the global recognition of the MBBS degree, while also eliminating both intra-cadre and inter-cadre disparities.

2. Granting promotions to all third-grade doctors within a stipulated time frame, elevating them to second and first-grade positions to ensure their rightful benefits.