Staff Reporter:
A physician at Mymensingh Medical College Hospital has been suspended after he got into a heated argument with the visiting Director General (DG) of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
The incident occurred around 10:30am inside the Casualty Operation Theatre of the emergency department during an inspection, moments before the DGHS DG Prof Md Abu Jafar was scheduled to attend a seminar on paediatric urology and reproductive health challenges.
A video on the incidents went viral on social media on Saturday afternoon.
According to eyewitnesses, the altercation began when the DG questioned why a table had been placed inside the OT.
Casualty in-charge Dr Dhandeb Barman explained that the table was needed for writing and documentation.
The DG reacted sharply, asking him to “mind his language” and instructed his staff to record the exchange, remarking that a doctor who spoke this way to the DG likely behaved poorly with patients.
Dr Barman responded that he treated patients well but did not necessarily extend the same behaviour to those in positions of authority.
The DG then accused him of lacking proper behaviour, prompting the doctor to counter by alleging that the DG himself had skipped scheduled training sessions in Dhaka. “Suspend me if you want, no problem,” Dr Barman said during the dispute.
The situation escalated until hospital director Brig Gen Md Golam Ferdous and deputy director Zakiul Islam intervened to calm both sides.
Shortly afterwards, hospital authorities suspended Dr Barman over the incident.
Speaking to reporters following the inspection, the DG did not comment on the dispute but noted that hospitals across Bangladesh are struggling with severe overcrowding.
“Every hospital is operating far beyond capacity. We need more facilities and more manpower. At any given time, around 15,000 patients across the country are forced to stay on the floor,” he said.
“Infrastructure development takes time, and an interim government works with minimal scope. These are long-term issues.”
After the visit, Dr Abu Jafar attended a seminar jointly organised by the Association of Paediatric Surgeons of Bangladesh (APSB) and the paediatric surgery department of Mymensingh Medical College.
He delivered the keynote address on recent advances and challenges in treating bladder and reproductive system diseases in children.
Khulna Medical University Vice-Chancellor Prof Ruhul Amin, Mymensingh Medical College Principal Dr Nazmul Alam Khan, hospital director Brig Gen Golam Ferdous, APSB general secretary Nazrul Islam, and APSB Mymensingh divisional vice-president Md Mokarabin also spoke at the event.
