Bangladeshi father seeks mercy killing of sons, grandson

Bangladeshi father and fruit vendor Tofazzal Hossain (standing), who has sparked a debate over assisted suicide, seen with his family in Meherpur.-AFP

Dhaka (AFP) - Desperate to end their suffering, an impoverished Bangladeshi father has begged permission to kill three terminally ill members of his family, sparking a rare debate about euthanasia in a deeply conservative society.

"I have taken care of them for years. I took them to hospitals in Bangladesh and India, I sold my shop to pay for their treatment but now I'm broke," said Tofazzal Hossain as he describes his years-long struggle to cope with the costs of looking after his two sons and grandson.