Suicides among students on rise: AF

DU Correspondent :
A number of 45.13 students on average have chosen the dark path of suicide every month this year which was 44.33 in 2022, according a study conducted by Aachol Foundation (AF).

At least 361 students of different educational institutions committed suicide in last eight months showing a growing number of suicidal tendencies among students which was 532 in 2022 and 101 in 2021.

Aachol Foundation, a suicide preventing student organisation, conducted the survey and disclosed it on Saturday at a virtual press conference titled “The rising suicide rate among students; Solution in which way?”

Some 169 suicide incidents, the highest number, were recorded among school level students, while 96 college students, 66 university students and 30 Madrasha students have chosen the dark path of suicide, according to the survey.

The higher tendency was found among the female students which are 59.30 per cent or 214 people than male students that is 40.70% or 147 students.

The organisation also said that the biggest number of the students have chosen the dark path of suicide after being emotional.

Apart from this, academic and career pressure, romantic motives, out of pride, family disputes and harassment, rape or sexual harassment and mental health issues are also cause for choosing suicidal path.

In order to conduct the research, the data was collected through secondary sources which consisted of 105 national and local newspapers and online portals across the country.

According to the survey, Dhaka city is the most suicidal area where 31.30 percent of students committed suicide.

It is also 14.10 per cent in Chattagang division, 13 percent in Khulna, 8.90 percent in Rangpur, 8.30 per cent in Barishal, 10 percent in Mymensingh, 11.90 per cent in Rajshahi and only 2.5 percent in Sylhet division.

Experts say that the suicidal cases occur more in Dhaka city for a lack of congenial environment to study and to develop them in the city.

“We should focus on their physical and mental health. Besides, students’ family members and teachers need to take responsibility for their own mental health so that they can take care of students’ health,” Helal Uddin Ahmed, Associate Prof of National Mental Health Institute said.

Additional DIG Farida Yeasmin has attributed most of the suicidal tendencies to being loneliness. She said, “Today’s generation likes to be alone and they suffer from loneliness.

This loneliness turn them to emptiness, emptiness make them despair, and later they feel themselves burdened. Only then they can choose such a path.”

“At that time of loneliness, there is no one at hand to help, but if we can extend a helping hand to him, he can be brought out of that place,” he added.