Death penalty views in Bangladesh: An exploratory study of capital punishment views among Bangladeshi college students

Abstract

Although discussion of death penalty has gained momentum in the Bangladeshi news media in recent years, no published study on the death penalty views of Bangladeshi citizens could be found in western literature databases. Based on survey data from a group of Bangladeshi college students, this exploratory study attempted to understand the views of Bangladeshi people toward the death penalty. The data indicate that, although a majority of respondents were in favor of the death penalty, support for or opposition to the death penalty is not a simple yes or no decision; rather, the degree of support or opposition varied from somewhat to very strong. This study also suggests that, in many ways, reasons for supporting or opposing the death penalty in Bangladesh are different than those in the United States.