The Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA) has called a countrywide doctors' strike on Wednesday to protest the recent suspension of 12 doctors and to press home its 21-point charter of demands.

The doctors belonging to the BMA also called a 48-hour strike on August 17 and 18 and decided not to work for over eight hours a day from August 11 to 16.

BMA leaders announced their action programme at a press conference in the city yesterday.

The government doctors will also refrain from private practice during the strikes.

The press conference, held at the BMA Bhaban. was addressed by BMA president Dr M A Majed and secretary general Dr Gazi i^bdul Haq Seniqr vice president of BMA Dr A Bayes Bhuiyan, Dr Fakhrul Islam, Dr Mushtaq Hossain and Dr Rafi Ahmed were present at the press conference.

Terming the suspension of the 12 doctors as "a conspiracy to tarnish the image of doc-

tors." the BMA- leaders demanded removal of the Health Secretary and dissolution of the vigilance team which took the action against the doctors who were reportedly found absent from the hospitals of Tongl and Gazipur. during its surprise visit last week.

"For absence from .one's duty for a day. a day's salary may be deducted as per service rules. The suspension was not a normal administrative measure — thus we have called the strike." Dr Majed said explaining the reasons for the strike.

"The action against the 12 doctors was a pre-planned move. The vigilance team was formed by the Health Minister on July 28. On July 31. at 8:05 am. the team visited the hospitals of Tbjlgj Gazjpurjor fifteen minutes, found' no floc tors and suspended them all." Dr Majed alleged.

"Interestingly, the government issued their suspension order on August 3. But. the state-controlled electronic media announced the news a day earlier. This proves this was pre-planned, he said.

If the government is serf ous about suspending -its rm ployees,£or aaol attending their offices la lime we believe, it will have to suspend almost all its officers and employees, the BMA chief argued.

The BMA leaders asked why the Prime Minister did not take any action against those bureaucrats who were found absent during her last visit to the Secretariat

The BMA also expressed its concern over the delay in the iinplctnentation ot the 21 point charter of demands.

The fortnight-long BMA programme also Includes a doctors' representatives' con ference at the BMA Bhaban on August 12. demonstration in front of the Health Directorate on August 17. meetings and processions across the country from August 20 to 25.

The doctors have also de cided to stop preferential treatment to high govern men 1 officials, including the Health Secretary, and urged the Prokrichi-BCS Council to adopt similar "non-cooperation and social boycott" programmes against lop bureaucrats.