Medical technologists and pharmacists are observing a half-day strike for the second consecutive day on Thursday, demanding a 10th-grade pay scale at all government hospitals, including Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
They began the strike at 8am and will continue until 12pm. The leaders warned that tougher programmes will be announced if their demands are not met.
Prior to this, they observed a half-day work stoppage on Tuesday and a two-hour work stoppage on 30 November.
However, the emergency departments of the hospitals will remain outside the purview of this work abstention, while patients in other departments have been seen suffering. The protesters gathered at the outdoor department of Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
According to the protesters, the file for implementing the 10th grade is under process at the Ministry of Public Administration. It has been repeatedly presented to the relevant government departments and ministries. But despite their demands being fulfilled, a lack of goodwill from the concerned higher authorities and various motives are leading the ministry to continuously create delays and complications by offering quibbles.
They further mentioned that previously, diploma engineers, diploma nurses, and diploma agriculturists were upgraded from the 11th to the 10th grade.
