Identifying the lack of mental health services at the grassroots as a major gap, the State Minister for Health and Welfare Ministry Dr M A Muhit has said that the government undertook a 'community mental health' project to address this crisis.
The state minister also said, "Through this initiative, services will be provided to people via tele-counseling and a referral system integrated across upazila and district levels."
M A Muhit made the remarks on Wednesday while speaking as the chief guest at a seminar titled "From Silence to Action: Changing Perspectives on Youth Suicide" held at the Dhaka Reporters Unity in the capital. The event was jointly organised by the Aachal Foundation and the Human Rights Development Center.
The government is working on modernising the Pabna Mental Hospital, strengthening mental health institutions in Dhaka, and establishing a framework for community-based mental health care to expand mental health services, he added.
Noting that laws treating suicide as a crime exacerbate the social stigma surrounding mental health, he emphasised the need to review the existing legal framework.
In his keynote address, Dr Sayedul Islam Sayed, Lead Psychiatrist at the Aachal Foundation, said that suicide is one of the leading causes of death globally.
In 2024, approximately 18 out of every 100,000 youths aged from 15 to 24 died by committing suicide. The figure rose to nearly 19 in 2025, he added.
Prof Md Kamal Uddin Ahmed Chowdhury of the Department of Clinical Psychology at Dhaka University said, "We tend to view those who attempt suicide as criminals; this is a major obstacle. It is time to reconsider the existing laws regarding suicide and suicide attempt. When someone fails in a suicide attempt, they often face barriers to accessing medical treatment." Prof Mohsin Ali Shah, former Chairman of the Department of Psychiatry at Bangladesh Medical University, noted that many individuals who contemplate suicide actually wish to live. However, due to severe mental distress and depression, they may perceive suicide as their only option.
Writer and researcher Gowher Nayeem Wara, Bangladesh's national consultant (mental health) of the World Health Organisation, Hasina Mumtaz spoke among others. Meanwhile, while briefing on the country's preparedness to tackle the dengue situation, State Minister M A Muhit said that the peak period for dengue infections in the country could be between late September and early October. To address this situation, the government is launching a special three-month dengue awareness campaign.
To this end, approximately 3,000 doctors have already received refresher training on dengue management. Advance preparations have been made to prevent shortages of hospital beds, saline, and testing kits.
He further stated that private hospitals must play a role in treating dengue patients if the need arises. At the same time, treatment costs must not be raised unjustifiably during this period, and hospitals are required to designate specific beds for dengue patients.
