'Saving lives held us back': Indian doctors in Bangladesh put oaths before own safety

New Delhi: Several Indian doctors staying in Bangladesh have chosen to remain in violence-hit Dhaka, performing their duty to save lives, even as worries about their own safety have kept their parents concerned back home.

There is a scarcity of resources and doctors are overburdened amid an overnight spike in the number of casualties in many Dhaka hospitals, several Indian medical practitioners in Bangladesh said.

Talking to PTI, they said they are drawn by a "sense of duty" and have stepped in to help the hospitals deal with the ongoing crisis.

"We are witnessing pellet injuries, gunshot and stab wounds in many patients. The number of casualties increased after fresh clashes broke between protesters and police on Monday night. There is an acute shortage of resources and we are working for 17-18 hours a day," a doctor from Srinagar, who is attached to a hospital in Old Dhaka, said over the phone.

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More than 100 people have been killed in violence across Bangladesh as chaos reigned supreme hours after Sheikh Hasina resigned as prime minister and fled the country on Monday.

"Our parents are concerned about our safety but we had taken an oath at the time of our degree completion to safeguard people's lives. It is our duty to serve them and the hospitals need us in this difficult time," another doctor from Gujarat said.

The medical practitioners got their MBBS degree from Bangladesh and are currently undergoing a one-year internship at different hospitals in the neighbouring country. They did not wish to be identified.

They described the situation as a state of "complete lawlessness" after Hasina fled fearing threat to her life from anti-government protesters.

However, the doctors said the situation appeared to have improved on Tuesday morning as the curfew was lifted and shops, businesses and other establishments gradually started resuming their operations.

"There is no threat to foreign nationals in the current situation. I feel absolutely safe. The clashes are between the protesters and political outfits. Those who are not part of the protests like me do not feel any security concern. Till Monday, there was no law and order. However, things improved on Tuesday. We see people on roads and businesses resuming their work," said a doctor from Jammu and Kashmir and the president of the Affiliation of Indian Medical Students in Bangladesh.

"My parents want me to return home but the hospitals here need us. Sometimes, we spend four days at a stretch at the hospital looking after patients. Most importantly, if we leave right now, we will have to complete our internship period later on," he said.

His association, an NGO working for the welfare of Indian students in Bangladesh, asked those students who have managed to return to India to prioritise their safety and wait for the law-and-order scenario to improve in the neighbouring country.

Addressing the concerns of students who had to leave their studies mid-way due to the violence, the association wrote on social media: "Most of the students already know that a majority of medical institutes are reopening from next week. With the current situation in the nation, we strongly advise all the students not to rush. Wait for 7-10 days and trust the process and let the nation re-establish its law and order."

"We strongly advise everyone to make their travel arrangements after August 15. Prioritise your safety, take a decision as a batch, institute and communicate with your respective college authorities," it added.

Meanwhile, briefing political leaders in the Parliament House, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said India has spoken to the Bangladesh Army chief to ensure the safety of more than 10,000 Indian students in that country.

Bangladesh has an estimated 19,000 Indian nationals, including 9,000 students. A bulk of these students came back to India in July, Jaishankar said.

More than 200 people were killed in violent clashes between police and mostly student protesters in the month-long clashes that broke out in Bangladesh in July.