513 students commit suicide in ’23
DU Correspondent :
A total of 513 students of the country, including 98 belonging to different universities, have chosen the dark path of suicide in 2023 for being emotionally hurt, affairs, family conflict or facing such problems.
Besides, a total of 532 students committed suicide in 2022 while 101 university learners chose the same path in 2021, according to a survey of Aachol Foundation.
However, the country’s largest Dhaka University (DU) also has been experiencing suicidal deaths in a significant number. A total of 48 DU students committed suicide in 10 years, according to media report and DU sources.
Among the suicide incidents, some 227 (44.2 percent), the highest number, were recorded at school level students. Of the total incidents, the higher tendency 309 (60.2 percent) was found among the female students.
A total of 140 college students chosen the dark path of suicide, while 98 university students and 48 Madrasha students have committed suicide, according to the survey.
Aachol Foundation, a voluntary social organisation, conducted the survey and disclosed it on Saturday at a virtual press conference.
Md. Saidur Rahman, Additional Secretary of Health Services Division, Dr Helal Uddin Ahmed, Associate Professor of National Institute of Mental Health & Hospital, ABM Najmus Sakib, Assistant Professor of Criminology Department of DU and Tansen Rose, Founder President of Aachol Foundation, were present at the conference.
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 vulnerable area where 149 students committed suicide. The figure was 89 in Chittagong Division, 64 in Khulna Division, 43 in Rangpur Division, 43 in Barisal Division, 36 in Mymensingh Division, 77 in Rajshahi Division and only 12 in Sylhet division.
However, the organization identifies romantic motives as the main cause of suicide as a maximum of 32.2 percent lost their lives for the reasons.
They also found out some other some reasons for choosing this path, which include relational motives, mental instability, family conflict and sexual harassment.
The organization also emphasized mental health counseling, building strong bonding among students and family so that one can share one’s problem with other and taking good initiatives from educational institute to reduce suicidal cases which is alarmingly increasing among students day by day.
