Foreign Desk: Recent tensions between India and Bangladesh, sparked by the arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das and allegations of persecution against minorities, have escalated diplomatic strains.
In response to the situation, several hospitals in Kolkata have reportedly decided to stop providing medical services to Bangladeshi patients.
However, only the J.N. Roy Hospital in North Kolkata has publicly acknowledged this development, while other hospitals have not officially confirmed it.
Sources indicate that various medical forums in Kolkata and across India have informally decided not to treat Bangladeshi patients at this time.
Doctors have informed private hospitals to avoid scheduling appointments for Bangladeshi citizens.
Despite these claims, some hospital officials have denied receiving any such directive and maintain that this information is inaccurate.
Hospitals in Kolkata have confirmed that several Bangladeshi patients who are currently admitted are still receiving treatment, with complex surgeries successfully carried out in specialized hospitals.
The situation has created significant challenges for both private hospitals in Kolkata and Bangladeshi citizens, who are now caught in the crossfire of political tensions.
The All India Medical Association (IMA) has called for a meeting on Monday, December 2, to clarify whether medical services will continue for Bangladeshi nationals.
Currently, more than 4,000 Bangladeshi tourists are staying in Kolkata, many seeking medical treatment.
Many of these patients are suffering from severe conditions like terminal cancer, leaving their families in uncertainty about how to proceed if medical services are suspended.
Mohammad Nurul Huda, a resident of Dhaka, who is in Kolkata for his mother’s treatment, expressed his confusion about the situation, stating that he would wait until Monday for clarification before deciding the next step.
Kolkata’s Mayor and West Bengal Minister, Firhad Hakim, has strongly opposed the decision to deny medical services to Bangladeshi nationals.
He emphasized that a doctor’s primary duty is to treat patients and restore their health, regardless of political or personal differences.
He added that even in the case of a sworn enemy, a doctor’s responsibility is to provide care and treatment.
Hakim concluded by stating that anyone seeking medical treatment, even if they come with ill intentions, must be treated.