TDS Desk:

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has alleged that a group is deliberately trying to create instability in Bangladesh’s power and energy sector.

He made the remarks on Saturday morning while addressing a gathering of doctors organised at the National Parliament’s LD Hall to mark the 37th founding anniversary of the Doctors Association of Bangladesh (DAB).

Tarique Rahman said a group was actively working to destabilise the power and energy sector through various tactics while spreading misleading narratives.

“The government has already started working to bring the country and its people out of this crisis,” he said.

The prime minister said the government had inherited a fragile state when it assumed office, with a weak economy, a divided administration and vulnerable education and healthcare systems.

“We are trying to successfully rebuild the country from this situation,” he said.

However, he alleged that beneficiaries of what he described as the previous regime’s “fascism” remained active in various parts of the state and administration.

“Unplanned projects and plans from the past have pushed our energy sector into danger. The government is working to rectify these problems and bring the country out of the crisis,” Tarique said.

Government plans to recruit 100,000 health workers

Speaking about healthcare reforms and the government’s future plans, the prime minister said its healthcare policy was based on the principle that prevention is better than cure.

The government plans to recruit 100,000 health workers to raise public awareness about disease prevention, he said.

“Under the leadership of doctors, these health workers will make citizens aware of and alert about primary healthcare,” he added.

Tarique urges doctors to balance politics and professional duties

On political engagement by doctors and other professionals, Tarique said political awareness among students, teachers and professionals was not unreasonable in a democratic state.

“Since political decisions affect almost everything in a democratic state, there is nothing wrong with students, teachers or professionals being politically conscious or politically organised,” he said.

However, he urged doctors to ensure that their political involvement did not interfere with their professional responsibilities.

Government to consider doctors’ demands

Tarique said the government would consider various demands raised by DAB at the gathering.

He said the demands were not unreasonable, including:

• Recruiting 5,000 doctors through a special Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) examination within the shortest possible time;
• Raising the age limit for doctors entering government service to between 32 and 34;
• Increasing the retirement age for doctors to between 61 and 65;

Enacting a healthcare protection law;

• Providing special allowances for doctors working at upazila level; and
• Introducing a specific and fair salary structure for doctors working in the private sector.

“These issues should be among the government’s considerations,” the prime minister said.

Health budget and e-Health Card

Tarique said the government had allocated the second-highest budgetary allocation in the country’s history to the health sector.

He said the government would work towards increasing healthcare spending to 5 per cent of GDP.

The government has also decided to introduce an e-Health Card as soon as possible and upgrade every upazila health complex into a 101-bed hospital, he said.

Call for doctors’ support

The prime minister sought the support and cooperation of doctors in both the public and private sectors to implement the government’s healthcare initiatives.

“Let us work together to build a doctor-friendly Bangladesh where every citizen receives quality healthcare and no one has to travel abroad for advanced medical treatment,” he said.

Tarique’s wife, Dr Zubaida Rahman, attended the doctors’ gathering.

Local Government Minister and BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, DAB President Professor Dr Harun Al Rashid and its Secretary General Dr Md Zahirul Islam Shakil were also present.