THE losing panel in the BMA elections for Chittagong Chapter has taken recourse to agitation at the Chittagong Medical College Hospital premises. They have demanded cancellation of poll results indicating an Ignominious defeat for the panel headed by Dr Qaderl-SiraJ who is identified with the ruling Awaml League. This panel lost all but three seats in the 22-member committee and hence the tension on the medical campus. The agitation took a violent turn when three internee doctors were beaten up and three senior doctors' rooms at the hospital put under lock end key. The matter did not end there; bombs were thrown at the house of one of the senior doctors Saturday night and abusive language hurled at them over telephone allegedly by the losing party supporters. The political culture of smelling rat whenever anything goes against group interest seems to be percolating various service organisations which are supposed to be apolitical.

Heads I win tails you lose" seems to be the order of the day. We feel the situation at Chittagong Medical College Hospital has escalated to a point where intervention of the higher authority will not be out of place. In the absence of three senior doctors from their posts the patients must be suffering despite claims to the contrary by the director of the hospital. We hope the health minister will take up the matter seriously and have disciplinary action initiated against the offenders.