Suicide in Bangladesh

Suicide in Bangladesh is a significant public health concern and a major cause of unnatural death in the country.^[1] On average, 40 people die by suicide every day in the country. According to the World Health Organization's 2024 estimate, the suicide mortality rate in Bangladesh was estimated at about 2.8 per 100,000 people in 2021,^[2] although national records and police figures suggest the average number of cases may be higher.^[1] These discrepancies reflect challenges in data reporting of suicide deaths in official statistics.

Research on suicide in Bangladesh has examined patterns across different demographic groups such as students and gender-based differences. Studies have identifies social and economic factors associated with suicide including poverty, family conflict, academic pressure, gender inequality, and more. Some research has also highlighted higher vulnerability among young people and students particularly during COVID-19.^[3]

Suicide and attempted suicide remain criminal offenses under the Bangladesh Penal Code, although enforcement is often limited in practice.^[4][5] In recent years, researchers and public health organizations have emphasized the need for expanded mental health services, improved suicide monitoring systems, and preventions programs within educational institutions and healthcare systems.^[6]

In 2021, the World Health Organization reported 4,714 suicide cases in Bangladesh, but International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research noted that police records show 15,050 cases. This implies that the actual number of suicides is three times higher than the WHO estimate.^[1]

A study conducted in 2024 revealed that 65.7% of total suicides in the country were committed by individuals aged 13 to 19. Additionally, 49.4% of all suicides involved school students, with 46% specifically from secondary school grades (6th to 10th grade). In total, 310 students died by suicide in 2024, with 61% of them being female students.^[7] The Dhaka Division reported the highest suicide rate at 29%, while the Sylhet Division reported the lowest at 2.9%.^[8] Another study indicates that among students aged 13 to 17, 4.4 per 100,000 boys and 5.8 per 100,000 girls commit suicide in Bangladesh.^[9] Depression is a leading cause of suicide among students, driven by failed relationships, poor exam performance, academic pressure, excessive device use, social media's negative impact, and parental alienation.^[9]

Research after the COVID-19 pandemic period, has examined patterns of student suicides in Bangladesh after educational institutions resumed in-person activities. A retrospective analysis of reports from more than 150 Bangladeshi online news portals identified 984 student suicide cases between 2022 and 2023, including 532 cases in 2022 and 452 in 2023. Female students accounted for 61% of reported cases, while 39% involved male students.^[3]

The majority of victims were between 13 and 19 years old (72.5%), and secondary-level students represented the largest educational group affected. Higher secondary students accounted for 19.1% of cases, while 7.2% involved students from Madrasahs. The study also reported that 79.9% of cases involved hanging, with poison ingestion accounting for 13.9%.^[3]

Several contributing factors were identified in the reported cases. The most frequently cited was emotional distress (28%), followed by romantic relationship issues (19.5%), academic pressure or failure (8.4%), and family problems (8.1%).[4] Other reported factors included mental instability such as depression or anxiety (7%), sexual harassment (3.3%), and financial crisis (1.1%), while some cases had no identified cause.^[3]

The study noted that the COVID-19 pandemic had previously been associated with increased psychological stress among students due to school closures and disruptions to education, and suggested that the post-pandemic period continued to reflect significant mental-health challenges for young people in Bangladesh.^[3]

The researchers also highlighted structural limitations in suicide monitoring in Bangladesh, noting the absence of a national suicide surveillance system or centralized database. Because of this gap, many studies rely on media reports to estimate patterns of suicide in the country.^[3] Researchers suggested that expanded mental-health awareness in educational institutions and the development of a nationwide suicide surveillance system could help address the issue.

The rate of suicide is higher among men, with 3.6 per 100,000 individuals, compared to 2 per 100,000 individuals for women.^[10] However, the percentage of suicide attempts is greater among women, standing at 4.17%, while for men, it is 3.36%.^[11]

Studies suggest that social and economic expectations may contribute to suicide among men in Bangladesh. In particular, pressure to fulfill culturally expected roles as financial providers within families has been linked to psychological distress and family conflict when these expectations are not met. Marital expectation and relationship pressures including difficulties fulfilling socially prescribed roles within a marriage, may also contribute to emotional distress among men.^[12][13][14]

Research has also highlighted gendered social pressures affecting women in Bangladesh. Suicide has been reported to occur more frequently among young married women, individuals from lower socio-economic backgrounds, and people living in rural areas.^[12] Scholars have linked suicidal behavior among women to factors such as gender inequality, lower educational attainment, early or forced marriage, domestic conflict, infertility, pressure related to childbearing, conflicts with in-laws, and other forms of abuse of social oppression.^[12]

A report discussed in BBC News based on findings from the Lancet indicates that suicidal tendencies among women in Bangladesh are higher than among men. The report links this disparity to women's lower social status, high rates of illiteracy, and economic dependence on men.^[15]

Economic hardship has been identified as a major contributing factor. Some studies estimate that poverty is associated with between 55% and 81% of suicide and suicide attempt cases in Bangladesh, affecting both men and women.^[12]

Additional research published in the Central Medical College Journal identifies common methods of suicide among women in Bangladesh, including hanging, poisoning, and drowning. The same study highlights several contributing factors, such as familial and marital conflict, poverty, physical or sexual assault, also pregnancy resulting from rape.^[16]

Hanging is the most common method of suicide in Bangladesh. There is no cost involvement in this method other than ligature material, i.e., a rope, and thus that is why it is the preferred method.^[17] Swallowing poison is another common method in Bangladesh to die by suicide. In urban areas, people follow other methods to die by suicide, such as by an overdose of barbiturate tablets, or by other means. Other common methods include self-immolation, throwing oneself in front of a train, and jumping from a rooftop.^[18]

In 2007, in Mymensingh, a family of nine died by mass suicide by hurling themselves onto a train.^[19][20] According to the diaries recovered from their home, they wanted a pure life as lived by Adam and Eve, freeing themselves from bondage to any religion.^[20]

In 1996, a Dhallywood actor suicided by hanging. The Police Bureau of Investigation cited multiple contributing factors including a romantic relationship, marital distress, prior suicide attempts, and family conflict.^[21] The official PBI investigation that concluded he died by suicide lasted about 24 years before the final report was released in February 2020.^[22]

According to Chapter XVI, Section 309 of the Bangladesh Penal Code,^[23]

Whoever attempts to commit suicide and does any act towards the commission of such offence, shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine, or with both.

But in most cases, no legal action is taken against individuals who attempt suicide, considering social and humane factors.^[4][5]

Suicide and attempted suicide remain criminal offenses under Bangladesh Penal Code. However, the issue of decriminalizing suicide has been debated among researchers and policymakers. Some scholars argue that criminalization may discourage individuals from seeking medical or psychological help after suicide attempts, while others suggest broader reform should be implemented before legal changes are introduced, such as improved suicide surveillance systems and prevention strategies.^[12]

The Mental Health Act of 2018 (MHA 2018) replaced the colonial-era Lunacy Act of 1912 and established a legal framework for the treatment and protection of people with mental illness in Bangladesh.^[6] The law provides provisions for the assessment, admission, treatment, and guardianship of individuals with mental disorders, as well as the establishment and regulations of mental health hospitals and rehabilitation centers. It also introduced mechanisms such as Mental Health Review and Monitoring Committees at the district level to oversee the admission abd treatment of psychiatric patients.^[6]

However the Mental Health Act of 2018 did not include provisions addressing the decriminalization of suicide attempts.^[12][6] Bangladesh is one of the few South Asian countries where suicide attempts remain criminalized. Several neighboring countries including, India, Nepal, Afghanistan, Maldives, and Sri Lanka, have decriminalized suicide attempts.^[12]

Bangladesh currently lacks a comprehensive national suicide prevention strategy or centralized suicide surveillance system. Studies have noted that existing suicide prevention initiatives in the country remain limited and fragmented. One of the few public-sector services is the Suicide Prevention Clinic, established in 2016 at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, which provides psychotherapy services for individuals experiencing suicidal behavior.^[12]

Several non-governmental organizations also conduct suicide prevention activities such as Kaan Pete Roi, founded in 2013. It is a telephone-based emotional support and suicide prevention helpline modeled after international crisis support networks.^[12][24] Other initiatives have included community-based programs like Society for Voluntary Activities (SOVA) in Jhenaidah district, which focused on addressing underlying social factors associated with suicide. The Brighter Tomorrow Foundation, established in 2015, has organized awareness campaigns and public engagement activities related to suicide prevention and mental health.^[12]

The Society for Suicide Prevention Bangladesh (SSPB), formed in 2016, aims to promote suicide prevention initiatives and collaboration among professionals working in the field. Researchers have noted that many of these initiatives operate on a limited scale and face challenges related to funding, public awareness, and accessibility.^[12]

Research on suicide in Bangladesh has emphasized the importance of expanding mental health support within educational institutions. Suggested measures include increasing mental health awareness programs, integrating mental health education into school curricula, and providing trained counselors and psychological support services for students. Researchers have also highlighted the importance of gender-sensitive interventions, improved reporting systems, and policies aimed at addressing factors such as sexual harassment and academic stress that may contribute to student distress.^[3]

Additional recommendations include training teachers and guardians to recognize signs of psychological distress and respond to mental health crises, as well as expanding access to mental health services. Researchers have also suggested developing a national suicide surveillance system to improve monitoring of suicide trends and support evidence-based prevention strategies.^[3]

Some studies have further proposed strengthening the country's mental healthcare infrastructure by establishing mental health units in medical college hospitals and district-level government hospitals, in line with the provisions of the Mental Health Act of 2018.^[6] Researchers have also emphasized the need for additional mental health policies and supporting legislation to improve patient rights protections, expand service capacity, and promote greater public awareness of mental health and social support systems in Bangladesh.^[6]

• Non-profit Kaan Pete Roi provides mental health support via a free crisis helpline.^[24]

• Vent by Mindspace (+8809-678-678-778) is a Psychological Crisis Hotline Service, launched on 25th October 2021, has been providing psychological first-aid to more than three hundred people in only three months of its operation.^[25][26][27]

• List of suicide crisis lines
• List of countries by suicide rate