Besides, the suffering of the patients also played a role in withdrawing the strike, says a press release issued by the striking doctors.

Following the postponement of the strike, the country's prime diabetes treating facility got back its usual tempo, with activities resuming at the in-patient department.

After a discussion with the Board of Management of Finance Committee, the consultants persuaded the striking doctors to withdraw the strike.

At around 2:00pm, the doctors announced at the Birdem auditorium that they had called off the strike for the time being.

In the press release, the striking doctors said that they had temporarily withdrawn the strike as per the assurance of all the consultants, members of the Board of Management and members concerned of the National Council.

"But if the authorities do not meet our demands, we will go back on strike on July 1st," one of the striking doctors said.

All the consultants would extend support to the strike programme, if tomorrow's meeting of the National Council of Bangladesh Diabetic Association does not agree to fulfil their demands, the press release further said.

Some 300 in-patient department doctors went on strike on Monday after issuance of a notice saying that their contractual appointments would not be renewed further.

The doctors demanded regularisation of their jobs, along with forming of a unified rule as the hospital had separate rules for the in-patient and the out-patient doctors that creates discrimination and fuels dissatisfaction.

Asking the striking doctors to join work, the hospital authorities on Wednesday issued another notice saying that their lawful demands will be considered by the National Council meeting tomorrow.

The activities at the hospital started again after the strike was postponed, with the patients getting admitted to the in-patient department and surgeries being performed.

However, while visiting the hospital, it was found that only three patients were operated till 2:30pm, whereas usually 20 patients are operated on any given day.

A special medical team had been providing emergency services to the critical patients for the last three days. They asked them to go to other hospitals instead of getting admitted to Birdem, causing huge sufferings to the patients.

Bashir Ahmed heaved a sigh of relief when he heard that the strike has been called off as he brought his ailing mother Ambia Khatun, 65, from Narsingdi to the hospital.

The woman referred to Birdem by the Narsingdi Diabetes Hospital, had been nearly unconscious for the past three days.