Businessman set himself on fire: Henolux chairman, wife sued

A case has been filed with Shahbagh police station on Tuesday afternoon over the death of businessman Gazi Anisur Rahman by setting himself on fire in front of the National Press Club.

Nazrul Islam, brother of Anisur Rahman, lodged the lawsuit against Henolux company chairman Nurul Amin and his wife Fatima Amin on charges of provoking suicide.

Shahbagh police station officer-in-charge (OC) Mowdud Hawlader confirmed the development to Prothom Alo.

Mawdud said it is stated in the case statement that Henolux company chairman and his wife owed a huge share of money to Gazi Anisur, but they didn’t pay him the money. Due to this, he committed suicide. The investigation is underway.

Anisur, 50, died at the Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery at around 6.15am on Tuesday, the coordinator of the institute, Samanta Lal Sen, told Prothom Alo.

Samanta Lal Sen also said Anisur was on life support as 90 per cent of his body was burnt.

He tried to commit suicide by setting himself on fire in front of the National Press Club area around 5:00pm on Monday. Shahbagh police rescued him in critical condition and admitted him to Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery.

One of his friends said that he tried to commit suicide as he failed to recover the money owed to him.

Anisur's home is in Kumarkhali upazila of Kushtia. He is known to have been in the contracting business.

Md Ali, a friend of Kazi Anis, told Prothom Alo in the hospital that the Henolux company owed him Tk 12.6 million, but were not paying him the money. Earlier, he had protested by means of a human chain, but to no avail. He set himself on fire on Monday.

The phone number provided on the website of Henolux was found switched off when contacted for comments.