Postgraduate trainee doctors call for a monthly allowance of Tk 50,000, rejecting the recent increase as inadequate

The government has increased the monthly allowance for postgraduate trainee doctors to Tk 30,000, but the doctors have rejected the hike, insisting on their demand for Tk 50,000. On Monday, the Finance Division issued a notification announcing a 20% raise in the allowance for unpaid Fellowship of the College of Physicians and Surgeons (FCPS) trainees who have completed the first phase of their postgraduate studies under the Bangladesh College of Physicians and Surgeons (BCPS). The revised allowance took effect on Tuesday.

Bangladesh currently has around 10,000 postgraduate trainee doctors who balance their education with providing medical services, all while being prohibited from taking up other employment. Despite the allowance increase, the doctors argue that it fails to properly acknowledge their contributions.

Protests intensified on Sunday when trainee doctors staged a sit-in at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) in Dhaka before blocking the Shahbagh intersection, causing traffic disruption. Sarjis Islam, coordinator of the Anti-discrimination Movement, assured the protesters that their demands would be addressed, prompting them to leave the streets while continuing their work abstention until a formal notification was issued.

Following the government’s announcement on Tuesday, the doctors deemed the revised allowance insufficient and a breach of earlier promises. The Doctors’ Movement for Justice issued a statement rejecting the decision, calling it an act of discrimination. “In the new Bangladesh, such discrimination will no longer be tolerated,” the statement said, reiterating their demand for an allowance aligned with the ninth grade of the government pay scale. 

The platform warned of stronger protests, with its president, Dr. Jabir Hossain, setting a deadline for the government to revise the allowance by Thursday. “If our demand is not met by 10 am on Thursday, we will hold a grand rally in Dhaka on Sunday, with trainee doctors from across the country joining to achieve our goal,” he said.

Postgraduate trainee doctors have been protesting since 2022 for a significant increase in their allowance. In June 2023, over 500 doctors demonstrated outside the BSMMU vice-chancellor’s office. Their protests have ranged from sit-ins and hunger strikes to torchlight processions, with rallies held at Shahbagh, hospital gates, and the Central Shaheed Minar.

The trainee doctors argue that their demand is reasonable, with assurances of support from various authorities, including BCPS, BSMMU, and the Ministry of Health. However, despite these assurances, progress has stalled. A recommendation for an allowance increase was sent to the Ministry of Finance but has not yet been approved or forwarded to the Ministry of Health.

The impasse has reignited protests, with doctors resuming demonstrations after earlier promises went unfulfilled. On Dec 14, the Doctors’ Movement for Justice held a torchlight procession and issued a 48-hour ultimatum. A meeting held the next day at the finance ministry resulted in assurances of progress, but delays in implementation have left the trainee doctors dissatisfied, fueling their renewed demands.