Staff Correspondent

A rickshaw puller from the capital’s Maghbazar area has killed himself by stabbing in the belly to get relief from an acute heartache he could not afford to treat with medication.

Joyanl Abedin, 45, was diagnosed with a heart block four years ago, but he took medications occasionally as they were unaffordable for his family of five.

The rickshaw puller committed the suicidal act on Tuesday evening, and was later taken to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMC), where doctors pronounced him dead at 9pm.

Police Inspector Md Bachchu Mia, in-charge of the DMC outpost, has confirmed Joynal’s death. Wounds have been found on Joynal’s belly, the police officer said noting the Hatirjheel police station will take care of the matter as it is under their jurisdiction.

Motaleb Hossain, nephew of the deceased, told reporters that his uncle had to leave his job as a rickshaw puller three years ago due to heart complications. The rickshaw puller’s wife and one daughter have been earning the livelihood for the family over the years.

Joynal’s wife works as a domestic help, while his daughter is a garment employee. He also has a son aged 5. The joint mother-daughter efforts somehow managed to pay for the usual daily necessities, but the relatively bigger sum of money needed for treating heart block was often not available, Motaleb said.

As a result Joynal’s heartache gradually got worse.

On Tuesday evening the pains became unbearable, but Joynal’s wife and daughter could still not manage the required sum for purchasing medicines. As a result, Joynal felt compelled to seek relief by ending his life for the better.

Joynal hailed from Hasanpur village in Pirganj, Rangpur. He and his family lived in a rented house at Madhubag in Maghbazar, Dhaka.