Suicide is a complex phenomenon; therefore, holistic care is needed to prevent it. Along with other areas, forensic medicine serves a vital role in ascertaining the manner of death, particularly in a country like Bangladesh, where suicide attempt is a criminal offence. The police are a potential source of suicide data as the country lacks a national suicide surveillance and database. In any unnatural death, including suicide, the police are the first point of contact and have the authority to order a medicolegal autopsy. The legal frameworks decide the manner of death, that is, suicidal, homicidal, or accidental, with or without regard to the comments of forensic experts. Due to the criminal status, there are concerns about punishment, like imprisonment after a suicide attempt, that can hinder care-seeking despite the suicidal person needing immediate support. Decriminalization would help the distressed people to access care, reduce personal suffering, and prevent further attempts and death by suicide. This chapter discusses how forensic medicine and postmortem are involved in the suicide declaration in Bangladesh.

错误:搜索内容不能为空,请输入英文关键词
错误:关键词超出字数限制,请精简
高级检索

Forensic Medicine, Postmortem, and Suicide in Bangladesh

  • Palash Kumar Bose,
  • S. M. Yasir Arafat

摘要

Suicide is a complex phenomenon; therefore, holistic care is needed to prevent it. Along with other areas, forensic medicine serves a vital role in ascertaining the manner of death, particularly in a country like Bangladesh, where suicide attempt is a criminal offence. The police are a potential source of suicide data as the country lacks a national suicide surveillance and database. In any unnatural death, including suicide, the police are the first point of contact and have the authority to order a medicolegal autopsy. The legal frameworks decide the manner of death, that is, suicidal, homicidal, or accidental, with or without regard to the comments of forensic experts. Due to the criminal status, there are concerns about punishment, like imprisonment after a suicide attempt, that can hinder care-seeking despite the suicidal person needing immediate support. Decriminalization would help the distressed people to access care, reduce personal suffering, and prevent further attempts and death by suicide. This chapter discusses how forensic medicine and postmortem are involved in the suicide declaration in Bangladesh.