School children make up over half of 224 student suicides in 8 months: Aachol

School children accounted for more than half of the student suicides recorded in the country in the first eight months of 2026, according to data compiled by the Aachol Foundation.
At least 224 student suicides were reported during the period, including 117 school students, 50 university students, 47 college students and 10 madrasa students. Of the victims, 132 were female and 92 were male.
The findings, extracted from media reports, were presented at a discussion titled “From Silence to Action: Changing the Narrative on Suicide Among Youth” at the Dhaka Reporters Unity.
The Aachol Foundation and the Human Rights Development Centre (HRDC) jointly organised the event to mark World Suicide Prevention Day, observed on Thursday.
Speaking at the event, State Minister for Health and Family Welfare MA Muhit said stigma remained a major barrier to suicide prevention, as families often conceal adolescent suicide deaths for fear of social judgement.
He called for greater openness about mental health and proposed a campaign with the message “It’s good to talk”. He also stressed the need to link grassroots mental health services with tertiary care centres and expand access through tele-counselling.
Dr Sayedul Islam Sayed, lead psychiatrist at Aachol, said Bangladesh lacked a reliable national suicide surveillance system. He said Aachol recorded 403 student suicides in 2025, including 190 school students.
He identified depression, family problems, cyberbullying, academic pressure, financial stress, loneliness, gender-based violence and stigma as major contributing factors.
Experts called for university prevention cells, teacher training to identify students at risk and life-skills education focused on resilience, digital wellbeing and help-seeking.
WHO mental health officer Hasina Momotaz said 40 master trainers had trained 488 schoolteachers and reached around 20,000 students. She said services were being piloted in 10 districts through 19 mental health centres.
Ashraful Anwar Rosen of DIGNITY warned that survivors of state torture and rights violations could develop PTSD, increasing suicide risk.
Speakers also called for reform of Section 309 of the Penal Code, which criminalises attempted suicide, saying it can deepen stigma and discourage people from seeking help.