Outdoor operations at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) remain suspended since 10:30am today due to a strike called by a group of interns and medical students, causing suffering to patients.
While visiting the outdoor unit around 1:00pm, this correspondent found the ticket counters still closed, with many patients waiting for services.
Two staffers, wishing not to be named, said that the unit was also shut down by students and intern doctors at 11:30am yesterday.
Today, the unit was opened around 10:00am today. However, activities stopped again around 10:30am.
Interns and medical students have called the strike to press home their five demands, including restricting the use of the "doctor" title exclusively to Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) and Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) degree holders.
Md Arif, who arrived at the outdoor unit with his ailing uncle around 11:30am, found the counters closed.
"We came to know that doctors have some programme, so the counter is off," he said.
Meanwhile, the High Court today directed that only individuals who have completed their MBBS and BDS degrees can use the title "Dr".
After the HC order, a group of medical students and intern doctors began marching towards the Secretariat at 1:00pm to press their four other demands. However, they were stopped by police around 1:30pm in front of Shikkha Bhaban.