For the sixth straight day, demonstrators blocked the Dhaka–Barishal highway on Wednesday afternoon, demanding the dismantling of syndicates in the health sector and the fulfilment of three key reform demands.
The blockade, staged near Barishal’s Nathullabad Central Bus Terminal, brought traffic to a standstill, leaving thousands of passengers stranded in sweltering heat and sparking frustration among commuters and drivers.
Since last Friday, protesters have obstructed the highway for a total of 25.5 hours over five days, severely disrupting daily travel for more than 100,000 people between Barishal, five other districts in the division, and Dhaka. The disruption has also hit transport workers financially.
Passengers complained of being stuck for hours, while drivers said their earnings had dropped sharply because of the prolonged protests. Many questioned the logic of blocking a major highway, pointing to the hardship caused to the public.
The protests — organised under the banner of “Students and Citizens” — began on Friday, when demonstrators blocked the highway for about 7.5 hours. Since then, blockades have continued daily, ranging between 4.5 and 5.5 hours. On Wednesday, the blockade began at noon and was ongoing as of 4:00 pm.
The protesters’ demands include:
Infrastructure upgrades, recruitment of skilled staff, and provision of modern equipment and medicines in all government hospitals, including Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital in Barishal.
Measures to curb corruption in the health ministry and hospitals, ban political activities by partisan doctors, introduce digital automation, and create a transparent accountability taskforce.
Empower the Health Sector Reform Commission to investigate public grievances and ensure implementation of its recommendations.
Demonstrators warned that unless the Health Adviser personally intervenes in Barishal to resolve the issues, the blockade will continue indefinitely.
Director General of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) Abu Jafar visited Barishal on Wednesday and held meetings with political leaders, social organisations, hospital authorities, and doctors at Sher-e-Bangla Medical College. Several participants criticised the blockade for causing public suffering, while others acknowledged the grievances as legitimate but urged solutions that avoid harming the public.
