“Student Protest Continues at Barishal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College: Road Blockade on Fourth Day of Complete Shutdown”

On the fourth day of the complete shutdown at Barishal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College, students staged a protest and blocked roads demanding faculty appointments. The protest began last Monday when students gathered in front of the college gate, announcing the complete shutdown. Since then, all academic activities at the medical college have been completely halted.

On Thursday at noon, students blocked the busy Bandar Road in Barishal city, causing severe traffic congestion. During the protest, they rejected a Health Directorate directive issued on Wednesday that appointed six junior doctors to the institution. In defiance, they set fire to the directive and warned that the movement would continue until their demands were met.

The protesting students claim that over 60% of faculty positions at Sher-e-Bangla Medical College remain vacant, depriving them of quality education and training. They argue that this situation will have a long-term negative impact on the country’s healthcare system. Additionally, some faculty members have allegedly been transferred elsewhere as part of a conspiracy, further worsening the crisis.

Since Monday, students have locked the administrative building and the principal’s office, boycotting classes as part of their complete shutdown protest. However, they accuse higher authorities of being indifferent to the crisis.

Students participating in the road blockade stated that they were left with no choice but to declare the shutdown. With academic activities disrupted, they fear they won’t be able to complete their syllabus on time.

They emphasized that Sher-e-Bangla Medical College, one of the country’s leading medical institutions, is facing a severe crisis in education and healthcare services due to faculty shortages. Critical departments such as Medicine, Microbiology, Pathology, Physiology, CCU, Gastroenterology, and the Dental Unit are struggling due to a lack of teachers.

The protesters also demanded the immediate reinstatement of teachers who were recently transferred from departments like Community Medicine, Microbiology, and Pathology. They warned of stricter actions if their demands were not met, reiterating that over 60% of faculty positions remain vacant.

According to college administration sources, only 146 faculty members are currently working against 334 sanctioned positions for professors, associate professors, and assistant professors, leaving 188 positions vacant.

Arafat Rahman, a final-year MBBS student, highlighted that while 250 students enroll in each batch, more than half lack proper instructors, severely affecting their studies. He pointed out that only six professors are available for 50 sanctioned professor positions.

Azimul Islam, a fourth-year student, stated that they had officially submitted a memorandum to the college administration and the Health Directorate on February 17, but no action has been taken. Instead, the Health Directorate issued a directive on Wednesday appointing six junior doctors as lecturers and curators from union and upazila health complexes. The students rejected this move as an insult, arguing that their primary demand was for senior faculty members like professors, associate professors, and assistant professors, not junior doctors. In protest, they burned the directive.

Naimur Rahman, a fifth-year MBBS student, warned that if the ongoing protests disrupt the Dental Faculty’s professional exams on February 24 and its admission test on February 28, the higher authorities would be held responsible. He reaffirmed that the students would not back down unless their demands were met and that the complete shutdown would continue.

On Thursday, the campus remained locked down, with students occupying the roads and the main gates sealed, preventing faculty members from entering their offices.

Acknowledging the crisis, Barishal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Principal Fayzul Bashar stated, “The students’ demands are justified. We have already communicated their concerns to the ministry, and efforts are underway to resolve the issue as soon as possible.”