Violence on our feeds is taking a toll on nation’s collective mental health

While scrolling through his phone one night, Imran Hosen felt his chest tighten. Another violent clip had popped up on his feed this time — a group of men beating someone in the middle of a crowded street. He scrolled down quickly, but after a while, another violent content made it to his feed. 

"It's everywhere," said Imran, a fourth-year International Relations student at the University of Dhaka. "Every day I see five, six, sometimes a dozen news clips, videos or pictures like this on the internet — murders, muggings, mob attacks, political clashes or violence against women. It never stops."

Over time, the constant stream of violence has begun to leave its mark on his mind. 

"For the past year, it's been the same thing again and again. It makes me restless, uncomfortable. Sometimes I even catch myself feeling a bit aggressive, and then I regret it later," Imran said.

That sense of unease is not limited to young people. 

Dil Afroze, a kindergarten teacher in Mohammadpur, describes a similar anxiety. "There's always a fear when I go out, when my husband leaves for work, or when my child goes to school. The brutality we watch online or hear about around us is making me feel helpless, both as a mother and as a person.

"These days, I see even a small word on the street turning into chaos. If a rickshaw puller or a driver says something to someone else, it can quickly spiral into violence. It used to happen before, but never to this extent, this frequently. It feels like everyone is on attack mode and no one will spare anyone," she added.

Hasibul Azim Akash, a Dhaka-based psychologist, explains the situation with a simple example. "If you take a piece of paper and regularly write down negative thoughts, over time you start to internalise that negativity. At least the Social Learning Theory says that what we see, we learn, and later it reflects in our behaviour."

He added that violent and criminal incidents are far outpacing positive news these days. 

"Even in my half-decade of practice, I've seen a noticeable rise in young patients recently, many struggling with sudden aggression, depression and fear. I believe the surge in crime is a major contributing factor," Akash further said.

Bangladesh finds itself in the grip of a violent crime wave that shows no sign of abating. 

According to Bangladesh Police HQ data, from August 2024 to August 2025 at least 4,189 people were killed, with 2,616 murders happening in just the first eight months of the current year. Robbery and abduction cases also went up, with 768 robberies and 1,650 abductions reported, much higher than in previous years. Riots were recorded at 118 in this period, while violence against women and children reached 21,916 cases, also higher than in earlier years. 

However, theft has slightly decreased, with 8,893 cases compared to higher figures in 2022 and 2023. Overall, most major crimes, especially violent ones, have seen a rise since last year.

"When crime keeps rising in a society, as we see in Bangladesh now, people naturally become more focused on protecting themselves and their families. They start living in fear because they see the law-and-order system failing, and no one seems to care."

Dr Tawohidul Haque, associate professor and crime analyst, Institute of Social Welfare and Research, Dhaka University

Apart from this statistics, footage of such incidents often goes viral on social media or news outlets. Take the case on 9 July 2025, when Lal Chand Sohag was beaten, stoned, and his body further desecrated in Old Dhaka near Mitford Hospital, reportedly after a dispute over the scrap trade. 

The incident was recorded and widely shared, causing outrage. 

Similarly, on 5 September 2025, in Rajbari, a mob attacked Nural Pagla's shrine — vandalising the tomb, exhuming his corpse, and setting it ablaze. 

For many citizens, the threat feels close and constant, reshaping how they live, move, and think. Dhaka and Chattogram, usually buzzing with life and commerce, have become cities of caution. Parents hesitate to let children travel alone, office workers rush home earlier, and women in particular face tighter restrictions on mobility. The routines of everyday life are increasingly shaped by fear.

Exposure to violent crime whether through direct experience or pervasive social media coverage has significant psychological and physical effects. 

The World Health Organization (WHO) recognises violence as a public health issue, linking prolonged exposure or fear of violence with heightened risks of anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances, and even cardiovascular disease. A 2018 WHO report highlights that chronic fear elevates cortisol levels, triggering long-term stress-related illnesses.

Research from around the world supports this. A 2019 study in the Journal of Adolescent Health found that people in high-crime urban neighbourhoods in the United States, even if not directly victimised, were 2.5 times more likely to suffer symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. 

The American Psychological Association's 2020 Task Force on Preventing Community Violence concluded that fear of crime itself can act as trauma, often leading to social withdrawal, mistrust of institutions, and avoidance of public spaces.

In Bangladesh, these findings are becoming visible on the ground. Social media, once a source of relief, is saturated with violent clips that deepen the sense of insecurity. The escape of more than 2,200 prisoners during the July–August 2024 political upheaval has worsened matters. 

While about 1,500 have been rearrested, hundreds — including militants and notorious gang leaders — remain at large. Their return has revived old networks and encouraged new gangs, who operate with impunity. Even the government's "Operation Devil Hunt," which saw more than 7,000 arrests in February alone, has done little to calm the public. To many, it feels like the state has lost control.

Dr Tawohidul Haque, associate professor and crime analyst at the Institute of Social Welfare and Research, University of Dhaka, said, "When crime keeps rising in a society, as we see in Bangladesh now, people naturally become more focused on protecting themselves and their families. They start living in fear because they see the law-and-order system failing, and no one seems to care."

He added, "From my own observation, it feels like nobody is sparing anyone anymore. A small argument that could once be solved with words now easily turns into a fight. This has become an everyday reality around us. When people see that the law isn't working, frustration grows inside the mind — and often, they end up responding with the same aggression they see in others."

Mental health services are woefully unprepared for this challenge. Bangladesh has only about 260 psychiatrists for its 170 million. Stigma against seeking help remains strong, and counseling is largely absent in schools, universities, and workplaces. This means thousands of people living with trauma have no access to professional support.

Dr Ashok Kumar Saha, professor of psychology at Jagannath University, described the trend as "truly alarming". He explained that while crime exists in every country, "what we are seeing now is a new level of brutality that is making people deeply fearful and uneasy." According to him, this rising wave of violence is quietly eroding the human values that hold society together.

To illustrate the severity, Dr Saha pointed to an example, "Have you ever heard of a body being dug out of a grave and burned?" He stressed that such an act is shocking from both religious and social perspectives. "These incidents leave silent but lasting effects on people's minds," he warned, adding that the scars will not only affect today's society but also shape the mindset of the next generation.