Dhaka, June 7 -- Two days ago, as festive lights brightened the skies of Dhaka ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, darkness descended on Jamal Ahmed's life.

A private firm executive, Jamal (not his real name) met with a road accident in the city's Matuail area. With multiple injuries and fractured bones, he was rushed to a nearby private clinic, where he received little more than first aid and an urgent piece of advice --to consult a specialist without delay.

But in Bangladesh, catching hold of a specialist during Eid is like chasing a vanishing star. Even though Jamal managed to secure an appointment with an orthopaedist for 7 pm the same day, his suffering had only just begun.

Upon reaching the clinic on time, he found himself in a sea of patients...