Suicide Prevention: CID working with Facebook, TikTok

To prevent suicides, Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has recently started working with Facebook and TikTok to get information about social-media users who are vulnerable to self-harming tendencies.

In the last week, CID received data of 13 profiles on the platforms and have initially rescued eight persons, according to officials at CID's Cyber Police Centre. However, the specialised wing of police found that rescuing people who are psychologically vulnerable is one job, but counselling them is a separate matter.

To address this, CID yesterday organised a conference titled "Discussion to find ways to prevent suicide and create awareness to develop mental health among citizens of Bangladesh."

Mental health experts and police personnel talked at the event. The move comes days after the death of businessman Abu Mohsin Khan.

Rezaul Masud, special superintendent of CID's Cyber Intelligence and Risk Management cell, said after getting online profiles of vulnerable people, identifying the victims is the first priority.

He said males were found to be more vulnerable than females, with their ages ranging from 16 to 32. "Victims need psychological support rather than policing support. Family detachment is the key factor behind such situations," he observed.

Quoting BBS report, the official said death by suicide (1.8pc) is more common in the country than death by road accident (1.5pc).

In the last four years, since the launch of the National Emergency Service 999, it has been possible to prevent 1,492 suicides, said Mohammad Tabarak Ullah, additional deputy inspector general of police (National Emergency Service). However, in response to phone calls, police recovered 1,135 bodies of those who had died by suicide, he added.

Additional Superintendent of Police Mohammad Mahmudul Islam Talukder at the Cyber Police Centre, told The Daily Star that if someone tries to take their own life by going live or posting status or photos, Facebook and TikTok will inform two officials of CID's cyber police and the helpdesk.

On basis of their information, CID would try their best to save the victims, he added.