BM Report:
Mental health experts and academics suggested that if suicide is recognized as a health issue and a social problem rather than a crime, these incidents can be reduced in society.
They expressed this opinion in a seminar organized on the occasion of World Suicide Prevention Day at the Senate Building of Dhaka University (DU) on Thursday afternoon. The seminar was jointly organized by the DU Alumni Association (DUAA) and the university’s Student Guidance and Counseling Office.
Experts think that the ‘right to suicide’ should not be taken for granted; at the same time, it should not be neglected. Suicide prevention requires spreading awareness and spreading hope through action.
As the chief guest, DU Vice-Chancellor Prof. Akhtaruzzaman said, “Social responsibility should be strengthened to prevent suicide, and this problem should also be brought into corporate responsibility. Dhaka University has started it. A counselor is appointed in this regard in each dormitory of female students. This program will also be taken in male student dormitories.”
Akhtaruzzaman also said “measures should be taken to reduce mental stress that provokes weak people to take suicidal actions. For this, you have to transmit energy within yourself. Someone who has overcome stress and succeeded in life should be taken as a model.”
DU Alumni Association President Anwar-ul-Alam Chowdhury (Parvez) said as the session chair, “If you can dream, you will have the desire to live, but you have to focus on your work. Do not put your dream in a complex situation of competition. Belief in God can keep people away from depression.”
Parvez suggested that small misunderstandings should not be remembered for long. It will lessen the desire to commit suicide and lead a beautiful life.
In the speech of the special guest, DSHE Director Professor AQM Shafiul Azam said, “Making our family and social relations good can decrease the tendency to suicide. We have to lead our lives towards the future with beautiful dreams and beautiful hopes.”
Ranjan Karmakar, former president of DUAA, said that awareness-raising programs should be spread in neighborhood schools and colleges to reduce suicide attempts. Students of Dhaka University can come forward for this work. He called upon them to ‘break the silence, wake up, and wake up others’.
DUAA Joint Secretary General Subhash Chandra Singh Roy said, “National initiatives need to be taken to soar mental strength to overcome personal and collective grievances.”Children should be taught properly; love for people can be a great tool in this regard.”
Helal Uddin Ahmed, Associate Professor, Department of Child, Adolescent, and Family Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health, presented the keynote paper entitled ‘Swapna Dekha Chhero Na’ in the seminar. He highlighted the causes of suicide and focused on what steps can be taken to avert it.
Referring to the data of the World Health Organization, he said that 1 person commits suicide every 40 seconds in the world. It could be one in every 15 seconds by 2030.
Helal said “the reasons that are blamed for suicide are not the main cause of suicide. These are only risk factors. The main reason is social change. Rapid urbanization can be largely blamed for this.”
“Suicide is a preventable problem. That’s why we have to take care of our minds. Enriching yourself will reduce the incidence of suicide,” according to him.
Participating in the panel discussion, Professor Kamruzzaman Majumder of the DU Clinical Psychology Department said, “We have to find alternative ways in case of any problem. Only then can we get out of the problem.”
“Society and state have made it difficult for citizens to survive, yet we are told that you cannot die yourself.” Why? In response to such questions, Kamruzzaman said, “There should be no right to commit suicide. If there is a second choice, it will give us peace of mind. Reasoning should understand that suicide is not a solution.”
Professor Shaheen Islam of the DU Educational and Counseling Psychology Department said, “It is possible to remove this problem from society through collective efforts. Just walk with the person who is lagging behind. Someone has to come back to him to hold his hand.” She also said, “Encouragement, acceptance, and communication with care will restore the will and strength to live in our students who are broken. Love will work again in life.”
Director of the Student Guidance and Counseling Department, Professor Mehzabeen Haque, delivered the welcome speech. Associate Professor of Psychology Department Salim Hossain and Senior Psychologist of Dhaka Ahsania Mission Rakhi Ganguly conducted the program. At the beginning of the program, the cultural organization ‘Majhamajhi’ presented meditation along with dance and song. The members of the Alumni Executive Committee and teachers and students of different faculties of Dhaka University participated in the seminar.
