Dhaka: The High Court on Tuesday asked the doctors of Bangladesh Medical College in Dhanmondi to withdraw their strike within six hours.

A two-member HC bench comprising Justice Quazi Reza-Ul Hoque and Justice Mohammad Ullah passed the order at 12 pm after hearing a petition filed by the founder professor of the college Niaz Ahmed Chowdhury.

The court also issued a rule asking the Health Secretary and Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) to explain within four weeks as to why the strike holding the patients at hostage should not be declared illegal.

Doctors of Bangladesh Medical College at Dhanmondi went an indefinite strike on March 14 as the authorities transferred a medical officer of the medical college of Dhanmandi to Uttra.

The court asked the government and Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) to form a committee for investigating the issue of the transfer and also asked the probe committee to submit a report before it within a week.