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Postgrad Doctors Block Shahbagh, Seek Tk50,000 Allowance
Postgraduate trainee doctors blocked all four points of Dhaka's Shahbagh intersection on the morning of 29 December, causing severe traffic congestion in the area. The protest, led by the Doctors' Movement for Justice (DMJ), started around 11 am, as doctors demanded their monthly allowance be increased from Tk 25,000 to Tk 50,000.
The protesters, who have been rallying for months, expressed frustration over the lack of a resolution despite multiple appeals to authorities. “We’ve been protesting for a long time. We’ve approached every authority, but nothing has changed. Can you deny the contributions of doctors? We’ve worked tirelessly in hospitals and on the streets,” said one of the protestors.
Professor Major Dr. Abdul Wahab Minar (retd), Convener of the AB Party, joined the protest in solidarity, stating, “If there is no consensus, the demands won’t be met. We will remain on the streets until our demands are fulfilled.”
DMJ General Secretary Dr. Nurunnabi added, “The longer the delay, the more united we will become. There’s no point in pressuring us. The authorities must issue a notification soon—we are not anyone’s agents.”
The protestors had previously demonstrated last week with the same demand. Following that, the Finance Division issued a notification on 23 December increasing the gratuity allowance for unpaid trainees who had passed the first phase of the FCPS exam. The increase raised the allowance from Tk 25,000 to Tk 30,000, effective 24 December. However, the doctors rejected the increase and reiterated their demand for Tk 50,000.
Earlier this year, postgraduate trainee doctors had also staged protests calling for salary hikes, including an increase for intern doctors from Tk 20,000 to Tk 30,000. On 13 June, postgraduate doctors even laid siege to the BSMMU vice-chancellor's office. While their allowance was increased by Tk 5,000 shortly after, the doctors remained unsatisfied, continuing their protests intermittently since July, culminating in today’s flare-up.