Bangladesh scored 10th position in the list of high suicide-prone countries, as it witnessed nearly eight incidents of suicides among every 100,000 people, an official from the World Health Organisation said recently.
Experts suggested increased anti-suicide campaign in the country fearing the fatal tendency was gradually increasing with Bangladesh witnessing increasing number of suicides every day, report agencies.
Joyosree Jaman, convener of anti-suicidal campaign forum Brighter Bangladesh, said that most of the victims aged between 21 and 30 who were led by extreme emotions due to different family or social reasons.
“Suicide appears to many people as permanent solution to their temporary problems but the experts found that most of those who survived their suicide attempts are happy as they are still living in the world,” she told the briefing.
A journalist by profession Joyosree launched the anti-suicide campaign floating the Brighter Bangladesh as her two teen-aged children committed suicide together in September last year in Uttara area, sparking a nationwide shock.
The press briefing was organised to outline the campaign ahead of the WHO-sponsored Suicide Prevention Day today.
Dr Helal Uddin of National Mental Health Institution told the briefing that in a country of some 16 crore people, Bangladesh now has a little over 200 expert doctors who treat mental diseases while most of them were concentrated in the capital alone.
“However, prevention of suicide is not doctors job alone . . . expert studies find if anyone can just express his or her temptation to commit suicide, in all most all cases his or her desire to carry out the fatal decision dies down,” he said.
Helal Uddin said counseling was crucial for people who developed an intention to commit suicide while family members and friends could play a crucial role in the absence of trained psychiatrists or doctors.