Medical services at Rangpur Medical College Hospital (RMCH) resumed on Saturday afternoon after an 11-hour disruption triggered by a patient’s death, the alleged assault on an intern doctor, and a road blockade.
The crisis, which lasted from 4am to 3pm, caused severe suffering for hundreds of patients, with the hospital’s emergency department remaining closed for around two hours.
The incident began in the early hours of Saturday when Rifat and Nuruzzaman Rintu of the city’s Jummapara area admitted their mother, Nurunnahar Begum, to the cardiology unit in a critical condition. Family members said they urgently requested oxygen support as her condition deteriorated.
Duty intern Dr Naeem Bakshi reportedly informed them that oxygen could not be administered until admission procedures were completed. The patient died shortly afterwards, following which Dr Bakshi was allegedly assaulted by Rifat.
In the aftermath, intern doctors prevented the family from taking the body and demanded an apology. As tensions escalated, the hospital director intervened and moved Rifat to his office for safety, while agitated interns gathered outside.
By around 11am, medical students joined interns in shutting down the emergency department in solidarity, leaving critically ill patients stranded. Several patients and relatives expressed frustration over the disruption.
Shariful Islam, who travelled from Dinajpur, said he was unable to admit his wife for more than an hour and a half. Another relative, Salma Begum from Nilphamari, said while the assault on the doctor should be dealt with legally, ordinary patients should not suffer.
Around 2pm, local residents led by the deceased woman’s elder son, Nuruzzaman Rintu, blocked the Medical Mor area demanding the release of the body. The blockade caused severe traffic congestion, leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded in intense heat.
Rintu admitted that his brother’s actions were wrong but said withholding the body was unacceptable, alleging that the death was caused by lack of oxygen.
Intern doctor Sifat strongly condemned the assault, saying Dr Bakshi was receiving treatment in the neurosurgery department. “We provide 24-hour service, yet we are being beaten,” he said, criticising those who supported the shutdown while ignoring the attack on medical staff.
Normal services were restored at 3:15pm following extensive mediation by hospital authorities. The body was released, the blockade withdrawn, and Rifat handed over to police.
Brigadier General Ashikur Rahman, Director of RMCH, said CCTV footage showed no negligence on the part of the attending doctor. He described the assault as “premeditated” and “deeply unfortunate”.
He added that the body had been temporarily held in the mortuary for security reasons and confirmed that the hospital would take legal action by filing a case with police.
