At least four journalists were injured as a group of intern doctors attacked them at Dhaka Medical College Hospital on Saturday noon when the journalists went there to cover an agitation by the doctors.
The intern doctors were observing two-hour work abstention protesting at a media report which alleged that surgery department chief Sahid Hossain slapped patient Ariful Haque Choudhury on Thursday following a complaint of negligence.
As the journalists entered the DMCH premises for covering news the intern doctors attacked and beat them up.
The journalists were— reporter of private television channel ETV Moazahid Hasan, Banglavision senior cameraman Uzzal Das, medical correspondent of Shokaler Khobor Abaduzzaman Shimul and ABC Radio stinger Bulbul Chowdhury.
Moazahid Hasan, who was seriously injured in the attack, went to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University for treatment, witnesses said. Uzzal Das was also injured seriously.
Uzzal alleged the interns had beaten him up and confined him in the DMCH conference room for half an hour. ‘They also damaged my camera,’ he said.
The interns also assaulted other journalists who were going to cover the report. They also locked the office of journalists at DMCH.
Previously in the morning, a meeting was held between the intern doctors and DMCH director Mustafizur Rahman.
Mustafizur Rahman said at the meeting the intern doctors demanded that the journalists’ entry should be restricted at the hospital and they should not be allowed to enter the hospital through all the entrances.
Dhaka Reporters Unity president Shakhawat Hossain Badshah and general secretary Sajjad Alam Khan Topu rushed to the spot after the incident.
Mustafizur Rahman called a press conference today to discuss the issue with the journalists.
‘I have to talk with some other officials of the hospital. I assured that I will take steps regarding the issue,’ he said.
A committee would also be formed to investigate the issue, Rahman said.
He also said that he would take steps to unlock the office of the journalists.