Md. Fahmidur Rahman1, Md. Shamsul Islam2, Tahmina Begum Poly3, N M Minhaz Uddin4,
Md. Khaled Ahmad5, Md. Akhtar-Uz-Zaman6
1. Assistant Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine, North East Medical College, Sylhet.
2. Associate Professor and Head, Department of Forensic Medicine, Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College, Sylhet.
3. Registrar, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, North East Medical College, Sylhet.
4. Lecturer, Department of Forensic Medicine, Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College, Sylhet.
5. Associate Professor (CC), Department of ENT and Head Neck Surgery, NEMC, Sylhet.
6. Associate Professor (CC), Department of Community Medicine, North East Medical College, Sylhet.
Abstract
Death due to hanging is one of the common methods of suicide in developing countries. During conventional autopsies, it is one of the most significant causes of unnatural deaths in Bangladesh. This is a retrospective study based on autopsy reports conducted to analysis the demographic pattern and magnitude of the suicidal hanging deaths that occurred from 2016 to 2018 in the Department of Forensic Medicine, Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College. The highest number of the victims (57.2%) was from the age group 10-29 years, which belongs to the younger age group and females (54.0%) were predominant. Most of the dead bodies came from Kotwali (15.1%) and Gowainghat (11.6%) police stations. Most communal findings in the dead bodies were skin and subcutaneous tissue underneath the ligature mark found pale, white, hard, glistening (94.6%) and cyanosis (82.8%). The most communal finding of deaths was asphyxia (92.3%). In Bangladesh, one of the most common suicide methods seen in medical-legal cases is hanging. The majority of victims are female rather than male, and young people are significantly at high risk for suicidal ideation, attempts, and hanging suicide. To reduce suicide incidents, psychological counseling and treatment of suicidal behaviors are recommended.
Key Words: Demographic pattern, Magnitude, Suicidal hanging deaths, Sylhet, Bangladesh.