The number of suicides could not be checked even after massive awareness by the government and some non-government organizations in Jhenaidah. At least 129 persons including 71 males had committed suicide by hanging themselves or taking pesticides in the last six months.
On average, 21.5 persons have been killing themselves in every month. The information was shared by the office of the Superintendent of Police (SP) and district civil surgeon in Jhenaidah. Jhenaidah sadar upazila has the highest suicide rate in the country now.
Excessive emotion and poverty are main reasons of this situation, said an executive of a non-governmental organization SOVA, who is working on this issue in Jhenaidah. Another NGO Rural Development Centre (RDC) working in Jhenaidah said the same thing.
SOVA executive director Jahidur Rahman and RDC executive director Abdur Rahman said the people of Jhenaidah are very emotional. They are satisfied with a little good work, while annoyed even if there is a trifling matter. When they are dissatisfied or hopeless, they are quick to decide that suicide is there only option. Although the number of suicidal cases is 28 in a day in the country, it is 0.70 in Jhenaidah.
According to a statistic, 3,152 persons had committed suicide in the district between 2010 and 2018. A total of 22,675 persons had failed to commit suicide when they had attempted. The statistics said 18,000 persons had committed suicide in 26 years between 1972 and 1997. The number was 7,228 between 1998 and 2011.
SOVA executive director Jahidur Rahman said all four daughters of a family in Harinakudnu had committed suicide one after another.
Superintendent of police (SP) Azim Ul Ahsan when contacted said the government is working relentlessly to motivate the people, especially, people who have lower living standard. Furthermore, they have been working to bring the guardians of the said family in their book of accountability on the issue. Sometimes they also file cases against the persons liable for the suicide.
Deputy Commissioner (DC) SM Rafiqul Islam when contacted said although the number of suicides in Jhenaidah is still high, it has been decreasing gradually when both government and non-government sectors started working jointly by conducting motivational and other activities.
