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come to Dhaka when many hospitals remain closed or offer limited services.

“Last Eid, most road crash victims were three-wheeler passengers, but this time motorcyclists made up the majority,” he told The Daily Star.

He added that 36 doctors, mostly non-Muslim, were working in two shifts during Eid. “More doctors will join in case of an emergency,” he said.

Nilufar Begum, 45, from Cumilla, was admitted to the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases and Hospital (NICVD) on Sunday, a day after Eid, after falling ill suddenly.

Her nephew, Masud Rahman, said she had undergone valve replacement surgery about six months ago. After she suddenly became unwell, she was taken to the emergency department.

After examination, doctors confirmed she had suffered a heart attack. She was given initial treatment before being shifted to the coronary care unit (CCU).

A medical officer attended to her at the CCU, but senior doctors were not immediately available.

However, Prof Abdul Wadud Chowdhury, director of NICVD, said senior doctors examine patients upon admission and review them as needed. He added that assistant professors remain on duty during the Eid holidays.

Meanwhile, fifth-grade student Mehedi Hasan was seriously injured when a tree branch fell on his head.

His father, Kamal Hossain, first took him to a local hospital in Fatullah, Narayanganj, before he was transferred to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) on March 15.

A CT scan showed that blood had accumulated in his brain, and he underwent emergency surgery. He was later kept in a ramp area next to the neurosurgery department due to a lack of beds.

“We didn’t get a bed, but what matters is that my son received treatment,” said Kamal, sitting on the floor beside his son, where he was receiving treatment.

Brig Gen Md Asaduzzaman, director of DMCH, said the neurosurgery department has 300 beds but often accommodates more than 500 patients.

While patient numbers tend to drop in other departments during Eid, pressure in neurosurgery remains almost unchanged, he said.

He said many critically ill patients are referred to DMCH because of limited advanced neurosurgical services elsewhere in the country, which is why the department consistently faces high patient volume.

DMCH sources said the hospital was run by mostly non-Muslim doctors and nurses during Eid.

The 2,600-bed hospital often accommodates 3,600-4,000 patients. On Eid day, 2,250 patients were being treated at DMCH.