A special team of the striking doctors however provided emergency services to the patients. Only six to seven patients received the service till afternoon, said an on-duty doctor adding usually 50 to 60 patients took the service.

No surgery took place and admission of the new patients in the in-patient department was stopped. However the out-patient department was in operation partially.

The doctors including medical officers and consultants enforced the strike on Monday demanding regularisation of their service following issuance of a letter that said jobs of the doctors recruited on contract basis would not be renewed further.

In a meeting with the Board of Management at around 11:00am the striking doctors demanded regularisation of their jobs as they said they are currently feeling insecure.

They also demanded formation of a unified rule for the employees as they felt the present rule created discriminations.

The outdoor doctors are permanent and there are third and fourth class employees who are also permanent, but the indoor doctors, who joined after 1992, are working on contract basis, said a striking doctor.

Since 1992 the Birdem authorities have been recruiting the indoor doctors on contract basis and had been renewing the jobs time to time.

"In the history of Birdem hospital we did not find any doctor losing his or her job. But the latest notice issued by the Birdem authorities means we are going to lose our jobs," said one of the striking doctors seeking anonymity.

As soon as the authorities meet their demands, they would resume their work, the doctors said.

When contacted, one of the members of the Board of Management Maj Gen (retd) AR Khan said the letter has been withdrawn.

"There was a misunderstanding and the letter was issued without the approval of the Board of Management," he said hoping the strike would come to an end within a day or two.

Meanwhile, during a visit to the hospital yesterday it was found that some patients were desperately trying to get admission in the country's lone diabetic hospital and others were found leaving the hospital fearing lack of treatments.

Rustom Ali, a 62-year old diabetic patient from the city's Mirpur area, was found lying on a bed unconscious.

"We came on Monday morning and waited till the evening. But failed to admit him. Today we brought him again but the doctors said he could not be admitted as they are on strike," said one of the relatives of Rustom Ali.

Till the afternoon only a doctor visited the patients in the coronary care unit (CCU), where the patients are supposed to stay under direct observation 24 hours.

One Swapna Parvin, 29, was found groaning in labour pain. She was admitted on Sunday and since then was waiting for a caesarean operation.

No doctors were found at 4:00pm to provide Swapna a prescription or take her to the labour room.

As the doctors were abstaining from their routine duties, the indoor patients were left almost uncared and unattended. However, they would have to pay Tk 500 as seat rent every day.

But the doctors said on the issue of uniform rule the authorities said it would take around a month and they did not accept.