Neuroscience hospital director resigns amid doctors' strike

Amid the doctors' work stoppage, Prof Quazi Deen Mohammad, director of the National Institute of Neurosciences (NINS) Hospital, has resigned.

According to sources at the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, he submitted his resignation letter to the health adviser. After it was accepted, the ministry instructed the Ministry of Public Administration to take necessary action.

A source from the health ministry said that Deen Mohammad submitted his resignation to the ministry yesterday in response to doctors' demands. Today, the health adviser accepted his resignation.

Despite attempts, Deen Mohammad was unavailable for comment. However, he was still in the office today.

Meanwhile, physicians at the National Institute of Neurosciences (NINS) and Hospital in the capital resumed their strike for the second consecutive day today, protesting against an alleged attack by outsourced staff.

All surgical procedures remain suspended at NINS, the country's only tertiary care institute focused on neurological disorders.

However, indoor, outdoor, and emergency services are still operational there.

Doctors began their work abstention in the morning, causing suffering to the patients.

Dr Kalim Uddin, associate professor, said, "We are observing this strike in protest against the attack on doctors. However, emergency patients are still being treated."

A doctor was transferred from NINS to Pabna Medical College Hospital four months ago. His recent reinstatement at NINS sparked anger among the doctors.

When doctors protested this move, third- and fourth-class employees launched an attack.

Dr Kalim warned that if their demands were not met, they would go for a full-scale strike.

The scuffle began yesterday morning when neuro-medicine specialist Professor Dr Gurudas Mondal joined the hospital, leading to an argument between the hospital's doctors. At one point, outsourced staff attacked the doctors, injuring at least 10 people, including three doctors.

Following the attack, protesting doctors announced a work stoppage from around 12:00pm and suspended all regular surgeries.

They observed a three-hour work abstention while keeping emergency and outpatient services open, demanding the resignation of its founding director, Deen Mohammad, and Joint Director Prof Md Badrul Alam.