Dhaka Medical College Hospital
Restrictions imposed on media's access
The authorities of Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) officially imposed restrictions on the media's access to the hospital from yesterday.
Journalists were directed to obtain permissions from the hospital director for entry during the office hours and from the duty doctor after hours.
The authorities have also banned taking photographs inside the facility without permission. A letter containing the instructions, signed by DMCH Director Brig Gen Md Mostafizur Rahman, was served to journalists in the morning.
It said the decision was made as the media had published “false and ill-motivated” news on the recent incident of assault on a patient by a senior doctor and upon discussions with patients, doctors and visitors.
Meanwhile, reacting to the move, reporters boycotted a press conference called by the hospital authorities yesterday evening. The authorities was supposed to “clarify their stance” on two recent incidents -- the assault on a patient and interns swooping on journalists.
According to news reports, a senior doctor slapped patient Ariful Haque Chowdhury Ripon on the face and discharged him from hospital on July 19, as he engaged in an altercation with a female intern over dressing his wounds.
Later, interns staged a demonstration on DMCH premises protesting the report and assaulted six journalists when they went to cover the agitation.
Following the incident, leaders of Dhaka Reporters' Unity and Crime Reporters' Association Bangladesh held a meeting with DMCH Director where the director assured them of investigating the matter.
The authorities yesterday formed a six-member committee to probe the incidents. The committee was directed to submit its report within five working days.
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