CTG pvt clinics call off strike after 24 hours

Private clinics, hospitals and diagnostic centres in Chittagong withdrew their indefinite strike on July 9, 20 hours after causing immense suffering to the patients. The strike was withdrawn following assurance from the authorities concerned that the demands of clinics, hospitals and diagnostic centres would be met. The strike was enforced at 4:00pm on Sunday, hours after a Rab mobile court had conducted drives at four private hospitals in the port city. Daughter of a senior journalist in Chittagong, Raifa died of medical negligence at Max Hospital on June 29. Soon after the incident, there came demands for punishment of doctors whose negligence was proven in an investigation conducted by a committee, led by the Chittagong civil surgeon. Another probe body of the Directorate General of Health Services found that the hospital was plagued with irregularities and anomalies.

DU VC likens quota protestors to "militants"

Dhaka University Vice Chancellor Prof Md Akhtaruzzaman has compared the activities of quota reformists with that of Islamist militant outfits like the Taliban and Al-Shabaab. "I don't use Facebook but one of my colleagues showed me a recorded Facebook live video of the quota reformists ... It was as if I was watching something similar to the provocative video messages the Taliban, Al-Shabaab or Boko Haram had sent from secret places to incite violence," he said while talking to reporters about the quota reform movement at his office on July 8. The VC's remarks come as a fresh blow to the students pressing for quota reforms in the civil service as they have already been branded by a number of Awami League and BCL leaders as activists of Jamaat-Shibir. He also criticised the recent protests by female students at a DU dormitory at night.

2020 to be observed as "Mujib Borsho"

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on July 6 announced that March 2020 to March 2021 would be observed as "Mujib Borsho" across the country to mark the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The year-long programmes will be observed with the participation of mass people at the government and party levels. "Elaborate programmes will be taken to celebrate the birth centenary of the great leader as my government and party want so," the PM said, adding that Mujib Borsho", to be celebrated from March 2020 to March 2021, would be followed by the golden jubilee celebration of the country's independence in 2021. The premier said she already directed the cabinet secretary to take necessary measures to draw up programmes on government initiatives to this end.

Protesters call for release of arrested quota reformists

Protests continued on July 9 against the recent attacks on some quota reform activists by Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) men. The protesters also demanded the immediate release of the arrested quota reformists and called upon the government to end repression on the demonstrators seeking quota reforms in civil service. Teachers and students of Dhaka University's law department formed a human chain near the Central Shaheed Minar, demanding immediate release of a student of the department, Tarikul Islam, and withdrawal of a case against him. Around 200 students and teachers as well as Tarikul's father Shafiqul Islam participated in the programme in front of the Law Faculty building. On July 2, a group of BCL men beat up Tarikul on the premises of Dhaka University Central Library and handed him over to police. He was later shown arrested in the case filed over vandalising the VC's residence.