Scuffle between DU students, doctors at DMCH; emergency services suspended

A scuffle broke out between doctors and Dhaka University students at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) this afternoon, leaving several people from both sides injured.

The incident took place around 5:15pm at the hospital’s emergency department.

The emergency medical services at DMCH remained suspended since around 5:22pm.

According to doctors at the emergency department, a Dhaka University student came to the hospital for treatment this afternoon and was given a prescription. As the medicines were not available, the patient was asked to buy them from outside.

Shortly afterwards, he returned with fellow DU students and began misbehaving with the doctor on duty, alleging that the prescribed medicines were not available outside, the doctors said.

At one stage, tension escalated into a scuffle, followed by several rounds of chase and counter-chase.

Several people were injured, the hospital sources said.

Md Faruk, in-charge of the DMCH police camp, confirmed that there was a scuffle between doctors and DU students, and additional police were later deployed to bring the situation under control.

Students present at the scene told reporters that Sanim, 23, a student of the DU Botany department and a resident of Amar Ekushey Hall, returned to the emergency department after failing to find the medicine prescribed by the doctor. He then asked the doctor to change the prescription.

“When we later went to seek an explanation, 10 to 12 doctors together attacked us,” said Mohammad Tanzim, a student of the 2023–24 academic session and a resident of Dr Muhammad Shahidullah Hall.

Later, DU Proctor Saifuddin Ahmed arrived, and after hearing details of the incident, spoke to the DMCH director.

Both sides blamed each other for triggering the scuffle.