Mental health professionals, policymakers, law enforcement officials, and civil society representatives on Thursday called for coordinated community-based actions and the decriminalization of suicide to address Bangladesh’s growing suicide crisis.
The call came at a stakeholder meeting titled “Strengthening Community Actions for Mental Health Rights: How We Can Reduce Suicide through Collaborative Actions,” held at a hotel in Banani, Dhaka. The half-day meeting was organized by ADD International as part of its community-based mental health and suicide prevention initiatives.
Speakers noted that suicide remains a major public health concern in Bangladesh, particularly among adolescents and young adults. According to official records, suicide deaths rose from 14,556 in 2020 to a peak of 15,987 in 2022, before declining to 13,920 in 2024. Data from the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) shows suicide is the second leading cause of injury-related deaths in Bangladesh, claiming an estimated 20,505 lives a year—about 56 deaths per day—with a national rate of 12.42 per 100,000 population.
Young people remain the most vulnerable. The highest suicide mortality rate, 28 per 100,000, was recorded among those aged 18–24. Among females, the highest rate was found in the 15–17 age group, while among males it was highest among those aged 25–39. District-level data between October 2022 and October 2025 show Jessore recorded the highest number of suicide cases, followed by Dhaka, Comilla, and Dinajpur.
Professor Kamal UA Chowdhury of the University of Dhaka said Bangladesh has adequate policies and technical capacity on suicide prevention, but community-level implementation remains weak. “Suicide is preventable, yet access to mental health support is still limited,” he said, stressing the need for stronger community systems and cross-sector collaboration.
“In Bangladesh, most suicide attempts involve hanging, and many survivors suffer long-term complications, including brain damage,” said Shahanur Hossain, chairman of the Department of Clinical Psychology at the University of Dhaka and General Secretary of the Bangladesh Clinical Psychology Society. “Psychiatric care alone is insufficient. Multidisciplinary treatment with neuropsychological assessment is essential for effective rehabilitation.”
Anwar Sattar, inspector of police at the National Emergency Service 999, said the hotline receives a large number of suicide-related calls each year, including ongoing attempts, but long-term mental health support remains inadequate.
In his keynote presentation, Dr Mohammad Muntasir Maruf of the National Institute of Mental Health said suicide prevention efforts remain fragmented, while legal and social stigma, along with the criminalization of suicide under the Penal Code of 1860, continue to obstruct effective prevention.
The meeting also discussed Section 7.13 of the National Mental Health Policy 2022, which calls for a national suicide prevention strategy involving all stakeholders.
The event brought together representatives from WHO Bangladesh, the National Institute of Mental Health, the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, legal experts, clinical psychologists, and civil society organizations.
