364 students committed suicide in last 8 months: Survey

As many as 364 students in the country's education institutions committed suicide from January to August of this year, according to a survey by the Aachol Foundation. 

At a virtual press conference on Friday, Farzana Akhter Labani, on behalf of the social welfare organisation, disclosed the findings of the survey which was conducted based on suicide reports published by 150 national and local newspapers.

Farzana Akhter said suicide rates are high among school students. Among those who committed suicide, 194 were school students. A seven-year-old child also committed suicide.

On average, more than 45 students commit suicide every month. Suicide rates are highest among students aged between 14 and 16, with 107 suicides in this age group. The tendency of suicide is the most noticeable among 13 to 20-year-olds, which is 78.6%, she said.

According to the survey, a total of 76 college students committed suicide in that period. College students came in second place in suicide. Some 50 university students, on the other hand, also committed suicide.

Some 44 of the total students who committed suicide were enrolled in madrasas, the study found. Compared to other regions of the country, suicide rates are high in the Dhaka division.

Female students continue to outnumber male students in suicides, accounting for 60.71% of all suicides in that period, Labani said at the press conference.

Tansen Rose, founder president of Aachol Foundation, said, "We mainly conducted the suicide survey to see the mental health of students, especially the youth. So that our data helps policymakers to formulate policies. We want a task force to be formed with experts on suicide prevention.

Azizul Haque Mamun, ADC (Education and ICT) of Narayanganj, recommended the appointment of psychologists for counseling teachers and students at the secondary school level to prevent suicide.

Dr Kamal Uddin Ahmed Chowdhury, professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Dhaka, said, "Suicide of more than 350 students in eight months is a matter of great concern. There is no visible initiative to prevent suicide."

"We don't see any initiative to prevent suicide as much as we have seen to deal with Covid. Initiatives should be taken to eliminate the stigma in society about mental health. Also, suicide is considered a crime, the person committing suicide is not a criminal. Suicide should be seen as a mental health emergency and not a crime and should be addressed," the professor added.

Eight Students committed suicide by posting on Facebook, and two others committed suicide via video call. In addition, 0.27% of lovers committed suicide by directing the selfie camera at themselves, the survey found.

According to the survey, love affairs are the most common cause of suicide. Besides, students have committed suicide due to session jams, failing exams, study pressure, depression, the death of friends, and financial problems. 

A total of 101 students committed suicide in 2021, Farzana Akhter said at the press conference.

10th September is World Suicide Prevention Day. This year's theme is "Creating hope through action".