A Supreme Court lawyer yesterday sent a legal notice to the authorities concerned to take necessary steps to stop private practice of government-appointed doctors within 24 hours.

Advocate Abdus Sattar Palwan served the legal notice to the health secretary, director general of Directorate General of Health Services, president of Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council and president of Bangladesh Medical Association, saying private practice during office time by government-employed doctors is not only professional misconduct but also an offence in the eye of the law.

Citing a report published in different newspapers and online news portals on January 28 and 29, the lawyer said in the legal notice that one Babul Hossain went to Lakshmipur Sadar Hospital for emergency cardiac treatment at 11:30am on January 28, but Dr Bhobani Prosad Roy of the hospital was at his personal diagnostic centre.

Bhobani Prosad Roy is the only government-appointed cardiac doctor for 20 lakh people of the entire Lakshmipur district. Family members of Babul called him several times, but he refused to come to Sadar hospital, according to the legal notice.

Advocate Palwan said in the legal notice that journalists informed the civil surgeon of Lakshmipur about the matter and after getting a phone call from the civil surgeon, Dr Bhabani Prosad came to the hospital, but by that time Babul had already died.

This is not an isolated incident, the lawyer said, adding that though it is one incident it presents a picture of healthcare at government hospitals.

The lawyer said he will take legal steps against the notice recipients if they don't take actions to stop private practice of government-appointed doctors in 24 hours.