Despair Behind Bars Fuels Prison Suicides

Bangladesh’s Prison Directorate operates under the motto, “Keeping Them Safe, Showing Them the Path to Light.” The country’s prisons are intended to rehabilitate offenders rather than simply punish them, preparing inmates to return to society as responsible citizens.

The reality paints a different picture.

With prisons holding nearly twice their intended capacity and inmates living in overcrowded, unsanitary conditions, hundreds die behind bars every year. Among them are prisoners who take their own lives after struggling with despair, isolation, and hopelessness.

On Nov. 22, 2025, prison guards at Mymensingh Central Jail noticed death-row inmate Sohel Rana (40), attempting to end his life by ingesting a harmful substance. He was immediately taken to the prison physician and later recovered after receiving treatment.

Although prison officials managed to save him, suicide attempts remain a recurring problem inside Bangladesh’s prisons.

Former and current prison officials told Agamir Somoy that inmates often suffer from depression caused by drug withdrawal, separation from family, uncertainty about their future, and overwhelming emotional distress.

Mohammad Amirul Islam, who was serving as senior jail superintendent at Mymensingh Central Jail at the time, said Sohel later explained why he had attempted suicide.

“He said he had asked his family that morning to appeal his death sentence. Instead of supporting him, they blamed him for destroying the family. Hurt and devastated, he decided to end his life,” Amirul Islam said.

Sohel had been sentenced to death on Oct. 9, 2025, by the Additional District and Sessions Judge’s Court in Mymensingh for the murder of van driver Jahidul Islam in Muktagacha. Following the verdict, he became mentally distressed, while his relationship with his family deteriorated after they took no legal action against the ruling.

Another suicide occurred on June 15, 2025, when Saidur Rahman Sujon (45), a former chairman of Birulia Union Parishad in Savar, was found hanging inside a room at Dhaka Central Jail.

He had been accused of carrying firearms during attacks on anti-discrimination student protesters and was facing 15 criminal cases. He died before any of the cases reached trial.

886 Prison Deaths in Five Years; Suicides Account for 2.14%

According to the Bangladesh Prison Directorate, six inmates died by suicide in prisons across the country in 2025. The deaths included two at Dhaka Central Jail and one each at Kashimpur Central Jail, Tangail District Jail, Jessore Central Jail, and Bogura District Jail. All six victims were men.

In previous years, three male inmates died by suicide in 2024. In 2023, one male and one female inmate took their own lives. In 2022, three men and one woman died by suicide, while 2021 recorded four male inmate suicides.

The suicide rate among prison deaths was highest in 2025 over the past five years.

A total of 112 inmates died in prison in 2025, with suicides accounting for 5.36% of those deaths. In 2024, 189 inmates died, with suicides making up 1.59% of the total. In 2023, 232 inmates died and the suicide rate stood at 0.86%. In 2022, prisons recorded 139 deaths, with suicides accounting for 2.88%. In 2021, 214 inmates died, of whom 1.86% died by suicide.

Overall, 886 inmates died in Bangladesh’s prisons between 2021 and 2025, including 19 suicides, meaning suicides accounted for 2.14% of all inmate deaths during the five-year period.

Why Prisoners Take Their Own Lives

Officials familiar with prison management say many inmates enter prison with drug addiction. The inability to access narcotics during incarceration often causes severe psychological distress.

Others become depressed after losing contact with family members who no longer visit or communicate with them.

Financial uncertainty, repeated imprisonment, dramatic changes in life circumstances, and feelings of guilt also contribute to mental health problems.

Prison staff say the absence of adequate mental health support leaves many inmates unable to cope.

Tansen Rose, founder and president of the mental health organization Anchal Foundation, said loneliness remains one of the leading causes.

“Just as suicide has increased across the country, it has also risen among prisoners. Loneliness is one of the primary reasons. Prisoners spend long periods isolated from others, which seriously affects their mental health,” he said.

He added that feelings of guilt, separation from family and friends, and the inability to share emotional struggles further increase the risk of suicide.

Professor Kamal Chowdhury of the Department of Clinical Psychology at the University of Dhaka shared a similar view, saying social isolation, loneliness, feelings of worthlessness, and guilt are major psychological factors behind prison suicides.

Measures to Prevent Suicides

Prison authorities say they have taken several steps to reduce suicides.

On Nov. 23, 2025, Additional Inspector General of Prisons Colonel Md. Tanvir Hossain issued an official directive instructing prison officials to strengthen surveillance and ensure inmates cannot obtain items that could be used to harm themselves.

What the Jail Code Says

Under the Bangladesh Jail Code, every central prison is supposed to employ a social welfare officer, psychologist, and sociologist. District jails are also required to have social welfare officers and psychologists to monitor inmate welfare, support rehabilitation, and assist correctional programs.

However, according to the Prison Directorate, no prison in Bangladesh currently has any of these professionals on staff.

Assistant Inspector General of Prisons (Development) Md. Jannat-Ul Farhad told Agamir Somoy that although one prison has approved positions, none have been filled.

“We are transitioning toward a correctional service model. We’ve proposed appointing psychologists, sociologists, and counselors in every prison,” he said.

Motion-Detection CCTV Underway

Farhad said the Prison Directorate is introducing motion-detection CCTV cameras to help prevent suicides and prison violence.

“If someone attempts suicide or starts a disturbance, the system will immediately trigger an alarm. The project is currently being launched as a pilot at Dhaka Central Jail in Keraniganj,” he said.

He added that addressing inmates’ emotional distress is the most effective way to prevent suicides.

“If we can reduce their hopelessness, we can reduce suicides. We try to meet inmates’ legitimate needs and encourage communication with their families. When we identify someone at risk, we send letters asking relatives to visit. We’ve seen positive results in many cases.”

Farhad said prison officials also work closely with inmates showing suicidal tendencies to understand their needs and ensure those requiring treatment receive appropriate medical and psychological care.