The High Court (HC) yesterday issued a rule asking the authorities concerned to explain in two weeks why their inaction to stop strikes enforced by doctors and nurses at hospitals should not be declared illegal. It also asked the authorities concerned to explain why they should not be directed to stop such strikes. The HC also asked the authorities concerned to explain why they should not be directed to take steps against those responsible for untoward incidents between the doctors, nurses and the relatives of patients, which often causes strikes. In response to a writ petition, the HC bench of Justice Syed Muhammad Dastagir Hussain and Justice AKM Shahidul Haque issued the rule. A total of 23 people, including the health secretary, chief of the Directorate General of Health Services, the inspector general of police, and directors of several state-run hospitals have been made respondents to reply to the rule within two weeks. Rights body Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB) filed the writ petition with the HC yesterday seeking its directive to direct the DGHS to form a three-member committee to monitor twice a week whether the doctors and nurses enforce any strike at any hospital. “Doctors and nurses often go on strike for various reasons and we come to know these from the media. In this context we filed the plea as strikes by doctors and nurses cause sufferings to patients,” Advocate Manzill Murshid, counsel for the petitioner, said.