346 promoted physicians to face music if they fail to join in seven days

The health ministry will cancel promotion of 346 physicians and take departmental action against them if they fail to join new workplaces in next seven working days.

The ministry sounded the warning after approved the order of their promotion from assistant professor to associate professor at a meeting yesterday with Health Minister Mohammed Nasim in the chair.

If they fail to join the new workplaces, they will be instantly considered released before noon of August 13, said a press note of the ministry.

It said promotion of those who are on lien, education leave or deputation will be effective once they join the offices. With the prime minister's instructions, 214 of them have been posted in medical colleges outside Dhaka, it added.

The issue is of great importance as there are many cases that a good number of doctors posted outside Dhaka often do not attend offices and remain in the capital, depriving the rural people of necessary healthcare.