Islami Andolan Bangladesh leader calls for urgent reforms in public hospitals, pledging to escalate demonstrations unless conditions improve.

Islami Andolan Bangladesh’s senior Nayeb-e-Ameer, Mufti Syed Muhammad Fayzul Karim, has warned that a massive protest movement will erupt in the southern region of the country if the health advisor fails to meet the demands for urgent healthcare reforms. Speaking during the 14th day of the student and public blockade program demanding the overhaul of the country’s health sector, he criticized the deteriorating conditions at Barishal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital and other government healthcare facilities.

Addressing the health advisor directly, Karim questioned why such protests and blockades should even be necessary. “Why must people take to the streets and face hardship? If our demands are logical, they must be fulfilled immediately. There is no reason for delay,” he said during his remarks.

Karim described the Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital as the only major healthcare institution serving the southern region, holding both historical and cultural significance. However, he lamented that the hospital has fallen into a state of neglect, with no proper facilities for quality treatment and an environment he described as worse than a cowshed. He pointed to shortages of doctors, disorganization among nurses, and an entrenched “syndicate” system affecting every stage of patient care.

According to Karim, this syndicate’s influence is felt during hospital admissions, the procurement of medicines, diagnostic tests, and even the process of taking a deceased patient’s body home, where ambulances are reportedly unavailable without going through the syndicate. “I do not believe any of our demands are unreasonable,” he said. “Our demands are for the benefit of the people and for their access to safe medical care. Before any resignation of the health advisor is considered, these reasonable demands must be met.”

Karim called for Sher-e-Bangla Medical College and Hospital to be developed to international standards, with improved infrastructure, better facilities, and adequate arrangements to ensure that all patients can receive proper treatment.

Earlier on Sunday, from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., students and members of the public staged a blockade in front of the Nathullabad Bus Terminal in Barishal city. The demonstration disrupted road transport in five districts of the Barishal division, causing significant inconvenience to passengers and transport operators. Bus drivers reported that the situation improved slightly after police arranged alternative routes for passenger vehicles.

Protesters accused the syndicate operating in public hospitals of denying people access to medical services for an extended period. They claimed their peaceful demonstrations had faced attempts at suppression. Organizers warned that more intense protests would follow if their demands were not addressed.

Mufti Fayzul Karim openly expressed solidarity with the student-led movement, pledging his support for their cause. Barishal Metropolitan Police’s Airport Police Station Officer-in-Charge Zakir Hossain Shikdar confirmed that the blockade lasted from late morning until 5:00 p.m., after which protesters dispersed and traffic returned to normal.