Thousands suffer as Ctg pharmacies go on strike

Patients and their families in Chittagong district had to suffer a lot yesterday as the Chittagong unit of Bangladesh Chemist and Druggist Association kept all pharmacies closed till 2:00pm demanding release of its 12 members and withdrawal of a case against them.

The 12 pharmacy owners and staff were sent to jail by a Chittagong court on Wednesday a day after being arrested allegedly for attacking a mobile court after it had fined two shops Tk 5,000 each on the city's KC Dey Road.

Yesterday, Tapan Halder, a resident of the port city's Jamal Khan area, had to go from one area to another in search of an anti-hypertensive drug for his father. Finally, he got the pharmacy of Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH) open and bought the medicine after waiting in the queue for one and a half hours.

Belyat, who has a patient admitted in the ICU of CMCH, waiting in the queue at the CMCH pharmacy for an hour, said, "Doctors told me to bring medicine as early as possible as my patient's condition is critical.  I have no choice other than waiting for my turn as all other pharmacies in the area are closed."

Another attendant, Shawkat, said, "Doctors are waiting for medicines and some surgical instruments needed for my aunt's surgery in the dental unit. Moreover, all medicines especially the instruments are not always available here. I do not know what to do now."

Samir Kanti Sikder, president of the druggist association's district unit, said in the city some 3,000 pharmacies were closed and they had to do this as the administration did not pay any heed to their previous ultimatum and he also threatened to wage tougher movement if the case is not withdrawn.

According to Samir, their members did not attack the mobile court on that day, they only demonstrated on the street as the law enforcers "tried to seize legal medicines".

Apologising for the public's sufferings, Samir said, "We remain awake round the clock to serve the public but instead of appreciating our contribution, a section of the government officials always harass us."