The rate of suicides is sharply increasing in Bangladesh, according to data from Police Headquarters.

In 2017, 11,095 people committed suicide in Bangladesh, which means, on an average, 30 people kill themselves every day.

Barisal topped the list in 2017, with a total of 2,585 deaths by suicide.

Experts warn that the rate of suicide might increase even more.

They said people go through many hurdles and trauma in their daily lives but they do not receive the necessary social and psychological support to overcome these issues. They feel suicide is their only option out of their troubles.

According to data from Police Headquarters, among the 11,095 people who committed suicide in 2017, 569 of them hanged themselves, 3,467 took poison, and 59 people set themselves on fire.

In 2016, the total number of suicidea in Bangladesh was 10,600. In 2017, the number increased to 11,095. The rate of suicide is increasing each year.

In 2015, 10,500 people committed suicide while in 2014, this number was 10,200.

It is notable that, in Bangladesh, the number of suicides is higher than the number of murders every year.

In 2014, the number of murders was 4,594 but number of suicides was 10,200.

Similarly, in 2015, 4,036 people were murdered while 10,500 people killed themselves.

In 2016, some 3,591 murders were reported in Bangladesh while in 2017, 3,549 people were murdered.

After Barisal, Dhaka district had the highest number of suicides in 2017. That same year, 2,585 people committed suicide in Dhaka, 1,433 people in Rangpur, and 1,197 killed themselves in Sylhet.

In 2017, a total of 1,239 suicide cases were reported alone in the Railway Range (areas falling under the jurisdiction of Bangladesh Railways) areas of the country.

When compared with districts, the number of suicide in Railway Range area, after Barisal and Dhaka, is more than any other district.

Incidents of suicide are increasing worldwide. According to WHO, across the globe, more people die from suicide than in warfare.

University of Dhaka’s Clinical Psychology Departmental head Dr Md Kamruzzaman Majumdar said: “When people do not get necessary support from their family and community, incidents of suicide increase.”

He said: “The most common reason for suicide is mental pressure and grief. These people tend to believe that their suffering is permanent so they commit suicide to free themselves of their misery.

“Feelings of inadequacy contribute to ultimately feeling helpless. These negative feelings constantly keep an individual under pressure. Moreover, because we lead very busy lives, we do not give time to our friends and family.”

He added: “People tend to feel isolated that way. All of this is increasing the rate of suicide in the country. ”

The doctor noted that family and the state can play an active role in remedying the situation. “I have had clients who have tried to commit suicide in the past. When I asked why they wanted to end their own lives, they often talked about many issues and general lack of support from family.

“If we can solve these issues, the rate of suicide will come down. We have to listen to these people, we have to give them time,” he said.

Source: Dhaka Tribune.