They will go for a tougher movement if the authorities do not meet their demands that included arrest and punishment of those who beat up two nurses of the hospital on Wednesday night, organisers of the abstention programme said at a rally.

Patients alleged that most of the operations scheduled for yesterday were not done due to the strike. Doctors and nurses hardly attended patients, and administrative activities at the hospital also came to a halt.

Many admission seekers were found leaving for other hospitals on the day.

"I will leave this hospital tonight (last night) to under go an operation at another hospital or clinic," said Abul Kashem, 61, admitted to the hospital with a fractured leg a week ago. " I was scheduled to be operated upon yesterday but it was done due to the strike."

As per an earlier announced programme, the demonstrators gathered at the emergency gate of the hospital yesterday morning, brought out a procession on the hospital premises and later held a rally at the hospital auditorium to press their demands.

Their other demands include construction of a boundary wall of the hospital, a permanent police camp on its premises and removal of the slum adjoining the hospital.

On Wednesday night, a group of students of Sher-e-Bangla Agriculture University beat up two staff nurses of emergency wing of the hospital -- Abu Bakar Siddik and Raisuddin -- for their refusal to give penicillin injection for a fellow student suffering from rheumatic fever. The nurses said they could not give such injection without a doctor's prescription.

Injured Abu Bakar was stated to be in a critical condition.

Police were deployed at the hospital to avert any untoward incidents.

Police are yet to arrest anyone in connection with the incident.