Kolkata (West Bengal): The JN Ray Hospital in Kolkata has decided to stop treating patients from Bangladesh indefinitely due to the recent unrest in Bangladesh, particularly the anti-Hindu violence and disrespect towards the Indian national flag.
According to Swarup De Ray, Senior Manager of JN Ray Hospital, the hospital is monitioring the situation in Bangladesh, where many patients come from. Despite providing medical treatment as a service to humanity, the hospital feels compelled to take a stand against the disrespect shown to India.
He also emphasized that India has supported Bangladesh for the last 50 years, and it's disheartening to see such behavior from Bangladeshis.
Swarup De Ray the Senior manager of Ray, in conversation with ANI, said that for the doctors there, nation comes first, and business doesn't. Because the hospital is located near Bangladesh, several patients from across the border come there for several types of treatment.
Ray said, "For the past week we have been closely monitoring the situation in Bangladesh. A lot of patients from Bangladesh come to the hospital for treatment... The Indian Flag is being disrespected in Bangladesh. Even the students and intellectuals disrespect the Indian flag and even the government of Bangladesh is not talking about it. India helped Bangladesh get independence and they are thinking so low (disrespecting the Indian flag). For us business does not come first, nation comes first...Until the situation improves in Bangladesh, we will not treat any patient from Bangladesh..."
He said that for a long time, they served humanity by not letting political crisis in Bangladesh come in the way. However, after seeing videos of Bangladeshi students trampling the tricolour, they decided to discontinue medical services to Bangladeshi patients. He also expressed disappointment at the Bangladeshi government for not taking appropriate action against the issue.
On Saturday, Bangladesh Foreign Affairs Advisor Mohammed Touhid Hossain said that the country's relation with India has changed since Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was forced out of power on August 5 of this year.
"After August 5, relations with India have been changed and this is the reality," said Md Touhid Hossain, Foreign Affairs Advisor (Minister) to the Bangladesh interim government in a seminar at North South University, a private university in Dhaka.
Hossain emphasized that Bangladesh have to build a relationship with India "in view of this reality."
On Friday, India expressed concern over the rise of "extremist rhetoric, increasing incidents of violence and provocation" in Bangladesh.
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that India has consistently and strongly raised the issue of targeted attacks on Hindus and other minorities with Bangladesh government.
A student-led movement ousted Bangladesh's then Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, after weeks of protests and clashes that killed over 600 people. Hasina, 76, fled to India on August 5 and an interim government led by Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus was formed. (ANI)