Dhaka, 23 December (IANS). Bangladesh is going through a turbulent period. There is turmoil. Meanwhile, a report has come out which tells the story of the poor mental condition of the common people. The local media published it on Tuesday. Statistics show that the suicide rate has increased in Bangladesh. Every day around 40 people are sacrificing their lives in the country.
On Monday, Additional Inspector General of Bangladesh Police (Crime), Mohammad Ashraful Islam, gave this information at an event of the International Center for Diarrheal Disease Research (ICDDRB) in Dhaka.
According to a senior police officer, the highest number of suicides were reported in Jashore district.
Prothom Alo, a leading Bangladeshi daily, reported that the ICDDRB, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), and the World Health Organization (WHO) had jointly organized the event, where the focus was on the discussion of the draft Bangladesh National Suicide Prevention Plan.
Public health experts and researchers mostly rely on suicide-related data provided by WHO. Several speakers at the event said that despite growing discussion on the issue, there is a lack of meaningful prevention efforts in the country.
Addressing the event, National Institute of Mental Health Director Mahbubar Rehman said that efforts to prevent suicide are possible only together.
He stressed the need for coordinated action across multiple ministries, including health, agriculture, home affairs, education, religious affairs and information ministries as well as other stakeholders.
Police said the suicide figures in the country are higher than WHO estimates. He cited records of law enforcement agencies on unnatural deaths related to suicide.
Additional Inspector General Ashraful Islam provided nationwide data on “unnatural deaths related to suicide” from 2020 to 2024 and from January to October this year.
According to the data, 73,597 people committed suicide in the country between 2020 and 2024. That’s an average of 14,719 suicides annually, or about 40 suicides per day.
Meanwhile, a total of 12,335 suicide cases were recorded from January to October 2025, with a daily average of about 41—slightly higher than previous years.
Police records classify the methods of suicide into several categories, including hanging, consuming poison, self-immolation, jumping in front of a train and other methods. The report shows that the number of people hanging themselves is highest, followed by those who consume poisonous substances. Among the 64 districts of Bangladesh, Jashore has reported the highest number of cases of unnatural deaths related to suicide. 1,454 cases were reported between October 2022 and October 2025. Dhaka stood second with 1,402 cases, while Cumilla recorded 1,288 cases in the same period.
–IANS
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