Dangers of too-strict parenting

The recent deaths of university students have cast a spotlight on an alarming spike in suicides in Bangladesh. More than a dozen students of different universities have taken their own lives so far in 2022, according to a survey. There are many reasons behind it but the most common one, which we are facing in our society, is strict parenting. Some days ago, a student of Dhaka University died after jumping from a multi-storey building of the capital's Mohammadpur. She left a note saying, "My life is a failure. I could not make my parents happy. I could not make others happy either. Nobody will bother, if I die." She was mentally pressurised to such an extent that it forced her to commit suicide.
Young boys and girls are grownups but they constantly need love and care from their family. It is very important for parents to understand their children. Do not force them to fulfil your desires and dreams. They are humans with their own talents and skills. They just need someone to appreciate them. Is it not better to appreciate people for who they are rather than to force them into becoming something they do not want to be, just for societal acceptance and money? So, I urge all parents to not to be too strict with your grownup children and force them for things they do not want to do.

Afroza Sheikh,
Dania, Dhaka,
[email protected]