Like many other offices, Eid holidays left an impact on three public hospitals in the capital, but the scene of the burn institute at Dhaka Medical College Hospital was a little different.

Not only two plastic surgeons were found on duty, an assistant professor, who was on leave, also visited his patients to see how they were doing.

Doctors Pradip Chandra Das and Gobinda Das were about to complete a 36-hour roster duty when Assistant Prof Nashir Uddin showed up with his wife and children.

Like most of his Muslim colleagues, he was also on leave to celebrate Eid at home. But he felt he should check on some of the serious patients, who had recently gone through surgery.

"Besides, my colleagues who were working so diligently during the holidays will also feel motivated," he said as he was sharing some home-made sweetmeats with the doctors on duty.

"I wanted my children to see how people work even on holidays," said the doctor as he checked on his patients in the cabins on the fifth floor.

One of them was Anjan Kumar Dey, who came under a petrol bomb attack on June 3 on a bus to Rangamati.

His brother Bijon Kumar Dey said the doctors were very caring and they did not face any problems during the Eid holidays.

Prof Nashir was exchanging greetings with patients at the children's ward a floor below. "It is not just me. Another group of colleagues also came and visited the patients. It cheered up the patients and worked as a mental support for our colleagues on duty," he observed.

Twelve-year-old Alamgir started crying seeing his doctor. "I want to go to my village home to celebrate Eid," he said as he kept crying. The doctor tried to calm the child, who suffered severe burns in his legs.

"Don't worry, my son. You will be going home next Eid," he assured.

The nurses on duty told the attendants of patients that the professor was not on duty. But when a father rushed to him requesting him to take a look at his daughter, the doctor did not hesitate for a moment.

Samantalal Sen, coordinator of the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, who himself gave rounds every morning during the three-day holidays, said, "We have kept plastic surgeons, post-graduate students and medical officers on roster. Thanks to the Almighty, no big incidents took place during this time."

These doctors of the burn unit reminded everyone of the humane side of one of the most respected professions of all time.