Suicides among university students during the COVID-19 pandemic: Bangladeshi press reports

Abstract

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic responses forced the authority to shut the educational institutions since March 17, 2020, in Bangladesh. Physical distancing, social isolation, and quarantine have become regular norms in our daily life due to the pandemic crisis. This extended shutdown separated the students from their academic life, increasing anxiety concerning their future education, personal and professional aspirations, and expectations. Such disruptions might increase vulnerability towards suicidal ideation among university-level students. Therefore, here we aim to assess the prevalence and related risk factors of suicides among university students in Bangladesh during the COVID-19 lockdowns. We conducted a comprehensive Google search to gather information from secondary sources. In total, 22 university students committed suicide from March 17, 2020, to June 10, 2021, in Bangladesh. The frequently reported causes of these suicides were depression, frustration, financial crisis, troubled love affairs, and family disputes, indicating an elevated prevalence of psychological distress due to the COVID-19 pandemic among students at all levels in Bangladesh. Based on the present findings, we suggest that the effective implementation of online education, financial support to families, mental healthcare support to this vulnerable group, and mutual understanding among the family members might reduce this death toll. The present findings might help researchers to understand students’ mental health and design programs accordingly to prevent future incidents.