Doctor for the poor Edric Baker was laid to rest beside his hut on the premises of his healthcare centre at Kailakuri in Madhupur upazila of Tangail yesterday.

Hundreds of people and his patients from different villages of Madhupur Garh region and well-wishers bade a tearful farewell to their dear “Daktar Bhai” (doctor brother).

He died on Tuesday.

Before the funeral, a prayer session was held at Sadhu Anthony Church and Primary School adjacent to the healthcare centre around 12:00pm.

His body was kept on the school premises for people to see him for the last time.

“God had sent Daktar Bhai to us as a blessing. He had a lot of sympathy for the poor,” said Sabitri Hagidok of Kailakuri village.

Another villager Sahera Khatun said, “With the death of Daktar Bhai, I am feeling that I have lost my father.”

Yaqub Ali, chairman of Sholakuri Union Parishad, said, “I was introduced to Daktar Bhai just after his arrival in the area. He was not only a good doctor but also a very good man.”

“There was a huge relief among the poor people in the area after Dr Baker came here. Before his arrival, people had to travel some 16km to reach the nearest hospitals at Jalchhatra and Madhupur,” he added.

Hundreds of people, including civil society representatives and government officials, attended the funeral of Dr Baker yesterday.

Gonoshasthaya Kendra founder Zafrullah Chowdhury, poet Al Mujahidi, Tangail Deputy Commissioner Mahbub Hossain, District Information Officer Golam Ahad, Upazila Nirbahi Officer Muktadir Aziz, and Joinshahi Adivasi Unnayan Parishad President Eugene Nokrek, among others, were present.

“Dr Baker was a wonderful human being and we should be proud of him,” told Zafrullah Chowdhury.

Pijon Nongmin, manager of Kailakuri Health Care Centre, said, “We will keep the healthcare centre alive forever in honour of our Daktar Bhai.”

Dr Baker, a lifelong bachelor, left New Zealand three decades ago to serve the poor in Tangail's Madhupur reserved forest area.