Nurses are again on strike demanding the withdrawal of cadre officers from the Directorate of Nursing and Midwifery and the Bangladesh Nursing and Midwifery Council. The strike was observed from 10 am to 1 pm on Tuesday.

This four-hour long program is only for general wards. Emergency Department, Dialysis, Emergency Surgery, ICU, PICU, NICU will be excluded from the program.

Since September 9, the nurses have been holding a program demanding the appointment of qualified and experienced nurses to the posts of Director General, Director and Council President and Registrar of the Department of Nursing and Midwifery.

Later, following the assurance of the health advisor, the program was suspended on October 1.

But on October 6, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare temporarily assigned two nursing officers to the directorship of the directorate without full responsibility. Because of this, the strike has been called again, the nurses said.

They also said that if the demands are not met, programs like complete shutdown will be given.

Earlier, they announced a two-day (Tuesday and Wednesday) program on Monday. As part of this, nurses and midwives will observe a strike in all government hospitals of the country from 9 am to 2 pm on Wednesday.

Convener of the Central Committee of the Nursing and Midwifery Reform Council. Shariful Islam said, 'For the past one month, our program has been going on with various demands. However, as the demands were not met, we started a one-point strike. During this strike three representatives of Sanskar Parishad sat in discussion with the Health Advisor. There was a fruitful discussion and the adviser agreed to our demands. He gave full assurance of the implementation of the one-point demand. As a result of which the previously announced strike is temporarily suspended.

He further said, "But on October 6, two nursing officers were issued notification by the Health Service giving them additional duties instead of full duties, which is contrary to the one-point demand."

Dr. Shariful Islam said, 'Nurses at all levels rejected this notification with disgust. The nursing community has shown considerable patience. Our demand was that the cadre officers should be withdrawn from the Directorate of Nursing and Midwifery and Bangladesh Nursing and Midwifery Council and should be given full responsibilities without additional responsibilities. A strict program will be given until the full demand is implemented.'

He also said, 'Apart from this, tomorrow (Wednesday), all public and private hospitals across the country will observe a 5-hour strike from 9 am to 2 pm.'

The Nursing and Midwifery Reform Council has been holding a program since September 9 to demand the appointment of qualified and experienced nurses as Director General, Director and Council President and Registrar of the Department of Nursing and Midwifery. Later the program was suspended on the evening of October 1 when the Health Advisor assured to accept the demand.

But on October 6, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare temporarily posted two nursing officers to the post of director of the department, instead of giving them full responsibilities, instead of giving them additional responsibilities. Because of this, the Nursing and Midwifery Reform Council called for a strike again.