Mental Health: Global Challenges Journal

https://www.sciendo.com/journal/MHGCJ

ISSN 2612-2138

Research Letter

Mental Health impacts on protestors and victims’

families of the July Uprising-2024 in Bangladesh

Minhazur Rahman Rezvi1, Md. Abrar Hasan1, Zahedul Islam2, Mohammad Kawsar Ahammed1

1University of Dhaka, Bangladesh

2Comilla University, Bangladesh

Abstract

Introduction: The July Uprising 2024 in Bangladesh inflicted enormous psychological trauma on

the victims. During the July movement of 2024, over 1400 civilians, predominantly youth, were

killed, and more than 13539 individuals sustained injuries due to the Hasina government.

Purpose: This study aims to explore the mental health status of protestors and victims’ families

during the July Uprising 2024 in Bangladesh; and suggest policy recommendations to protect the

victims of July Uprising 2024 based on the findings.

Methodology: This study used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-

Analyses (PRISMA) to analyze the mental health status of July’s protestors. The study collected data

from secondary sources, and also used 3 studies which collected from secondary sources.

Results: The analysis showed that a significant number of injured protestors are hospitalized, and

their families have lost all of their savings in order to continue the treatment. Depression, anxiety,

distress, and sleep disruption are frequent experiences among those family members. The

protestors continue to experience trauma five to six months post-incident.

Conclusion: The Government of Bangladesh must provide accessible mental health treatments,

counseling, awareness campaigns, and financial support for victims and families impacted by

the July 2024 movement through public-private partnerships.

Keywords

Mental Health, July Uprising, trauma, Health care, Bangladesh

Address for correspondence:

Minhazur Rahman Rezvi, MSS, Department of Development Studies, University of Dhaka,

Bangladesh

E-mail: minhazurrahmanrezvi@gmail.com

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution- 4.0 International License

(CC BY 4.0).

©Copyright: Rezvi et al., 2025

Publisher: Sciendo (De Gruyter)

DOI: https://doi.org/10.56508/mhgcj.v8i1.243

Submitted for publication: 18

November 2024

Revised: 06 June 2025

Accepted for publication:

08 July 2025

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Introduction

Mental health is an essential part of overall

well-being, integrating psychological,

emotional, and social aspects that help people

cope with life's difficulties, reach their full

potential, and contribute to their communities

(Kumar, 2024). Mental health is strongly related

to physical and social health, with each part

being critical for the well-being of both

individuals and the community. It affects

people's capacity to tolerate stress, make

decisions, and maintain relationships by

influencing their thoughts, emotions, and

behaviours (Alpert, 2021). Particularly, mental

ailments have a substantial impact on daily

functioning and social interactions. Mood and

anxiety disorders are linked to significant deficits

in the social, emotional, and physical domains,

with mood disorders having the greatest

influence on social life (Bonnewyn et al., 2005).

Recently, the COVID-19 epidemic has greatly

affected the mental health of adults, youth, and

even children which leading to worry, anxiety,

melancholy, insomnia, and chaos (Javed et al.,

2020). Post-COVID-19 impacts on the mental

health of youth still exist in the world.

Furthermore, adolescents are more

vulnerable to experiencing mental health issues,

which have an influence on their education,

relationships, and overall health, among other

areas of their lives (Malik Mental, 2019). Globally,

one in every seven teenagers has a mental

illness, approximately 15% of the disease burden

in this age range (WHO, 2024). Mental health

issues are a serious public health concern in

Bangladesh, particularly youth, adolescents and

children who are vulnerable to mental crises

(Hossain, 2018). Despite this significant burden,

mental health remains an ignored area in the

country's healthcare system (Islam, 2015).

In July 2024, a massive student protest

erupted against the quota system and fascist

autocratic Hasina regime, in this protest, more

than 1400 unarmed civilians were killed and a

significant number of deaths were among

students (OHCHR, 2025). A large number of

students (youth, and adolescents) were injured

and lost their body organs during the protest. The

mass killings committed by the former Hasina

regime during the July 2024 protests resulted in

injuries and the loss of bodily organs among

protestors, leading to a significant mental health

crisis affecting students, injured protestors,

victims' families, and family members of martyrs.

Background: July Movement 2024 in

Bangladesh

In July 2024, students in Bangladesh started

protesting against the discriminatory quota

system in public jobs, especially in the civil

service examination. The demand was raised

after the high court ruling against the 2018

circular. It was about eliminating all forms of

quota system in first and second-class jobs. The

students demanded to abolish this ruling and

reform the quota system by forming a

committee through the executive body of the

government not by the legislative organ.

However, the government stuck to its decision

and appealed to revise the hearing on the 10th

of July 2024 (Rizve, 2024). Students initiated

different forms of peaceful demonstrations

across the streets of major cities of the country.

The movement sparked after the controversial

speech of Sheikh Hasina at her press conference

in which she labeled the protesters as “Razakar”,

a term used to address the convicted war

criminals during the liberation war of Bangladesh

(Rizve, 2024). In reaction students from the

University of Dhaka, Jahangirnagar University and

some other public universities came into the

street that night and chanted slogans like “Who

are you? Who am I? Razakar, Razakar! (The Daily

Star, 2024a). Later on, the Bangladesh Chatra

League (BCL), an armed student wing of the

ruling party Awami League attacked the

protesters at Dhaka University premises. Over 300

students were injured in that incident (The Daily

Star, 2024a).

On July 16th, the first killing incidents were

reported. Six students were killed jointly by the

ruling party activist and law enforcing authorities

in Dhaka, Chattogram, and Rangpur. A student

of Begum Rokeya University named Abu Sayed

was the first victim of this killing (Chowdhury,

2024). Students announced a nationwide

“complete shutdown” in reaction to the previous

day's killing and attacks on the general students.

But the death toll rises day by day. The

government imposed a nationwide curfew,

blocked internet service, and deployed the Army

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to detain students from protesting. More than 21

people were killed on the first day of the curfew

and law enforcement authorities started block

raids in the selected areas to arrest the students

and opposition party leaders (The Daily Star,

2024b). After the complete restoration of internet

services on July 31, the nation was confronted

with a tragic incident of state-sanctioned

violence against its citizens. Despite the students

submitting a nine-point demand, the authorities

responded with detentions and mistreatment of

the organizers. This catalyzed a widespread

"one-demand" movement, culminating in the

resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Defying strict curfews, citizens actively

participated in demonstrations in support of the

students' cause. On August 4, a significant

gathering at Shahbag Square witnessed the

forced resignation of former Prime Minister

Hasina. This event was followed by a "Long March

to Dhaka" on August 5. These mass protests

against the government led to Prime Minister

Sheikh Hasina's departure from office. The

departure of Sheikh Hasina cost more than a

thousand people deaths and nearly thirty

thousand people were injured. According to the

Office of the United Nations High Commissioner

for Human Rights (OHCHR) 2025, approximately

1400 unarmed civilians were killed including 13

women during the period of 15th July to 05

August (OHCHR, 2025). Students and youths

were the victims of a significant number of

deaths (TBS, 2024; UNB, 2024). Approximately

12% of total deaths were children, who were

victims of state-sponsored violence perpetrated

by the police and the Bangladesh Awami

League along with their student wing (i.e.,

Bangladesh Chhatra League). Over 13,529

citizens experienced severe injuries, including

390 women (OHCHR, 2025).

Although Sheikh Hasina fled from the country

the protesters are going through different forms

of post-traumatic stress disorder. It affects their

sleep cycle, focus, and their normal lifestyle.

According to the report of the Dhaka Tribune,

witnessing the causality and injuries of their

friends and families put them in a highly fragile

mental situation (Ovee, 2024).

Purpose

This study focuses on the current status of the

mental health of protestors and victims’ families

during the July Uprising 2024 in Bangladesh. This

study suggests policy recommendations based

on the findings.

Research Questions & Objectives

The main research objectives of this study are

the following:

•To discuss the July Uprising 2024 in

Bangladesh and the extensive violence

committed by the fascist regime

•To explore the mental health status of

protestors and victims’ families during

July Uprising 2024 in Bangladesh.

•To suggest policy recommendations to

protect the victims of July Uprising 2024

based on findings.

Methodology

This study explored the mental health status of

protestors and victims’ families during July

Uprising 2024 in Bangladesh. To analyze

secondary data, this study followed to the

Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews

and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, (Moher

et al., 2009).

For data, this study relied on secondary

sources of data such as research studies,

qualitative studies, observational studies, case

reports, case studies, editorials, letters, reports,

surveys, and newspapers etc. This study has

focused on analyzing the relevant literature to

assess mental health and its impacts on

protestors and victims’ families of the July

Movement-2024 in Bangladesh.

To identify relevant literature, various

databases and web searches have been

performed on the Web of Science, Scopus,

Google Scholar, PubMed, DOAJ, Wiley Online

Library, and Daily Newspapers by using the

keywords “July Uprising 2024 and Bangladesh”,

“July Movement 2024 and Bangladesh”, “July

Revolution 2024 and Bangladesh”, “July Protest

2024 and Bangladesh”, “Fall of Hasina Regime

and Bangladesh”, “Killing during July 2024 and

Bangladesh”, “Mental Health”, “trauma”, “Mental

health situation and Bangladesh”, “July

Movement’s victims and Mental Health”, “Mental

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Trauma after July Movement and Bangladesh”,

and “Bangladesh”. All relevant literature was

initially evaluated based on its title and abstract

or executive summary and then included in this

study according to particular eligibility criteria.

Due to the current situation, a limited number of

research articles have been published on this

topic; therefore, this study has to rely on daily

newspapers.

Selection criteria

The eligibility criteria include: a) studies that

examine the concept of mental health; b)

studies that discuss the theoretical basis of

mental health and the impacts of mental health;

c) studies that explain the July movement-2024

in Bangladesh; d) studies that discuss the impact

on mental health after July movement-2024 in

Bangladesh; and e) studies that discuss current

status of mental health in Bangladesh. This

method offers insights in regard to mental health

and its impact on protestors and victims’ families

during and after the July movement-2024 in

Bangladesh.

The screening process primarily included

going through titles and abstracts to identify

duplicates and irrelevant publications, leading to

the rejection. Afterward, full-text articles were

examined to decide on their inclusion. We

excluded papers based on the following criteria:

a) Studies not addressed in the July Movement-

2024 and Bangladesh; b) Studies that are not

related to the victims of July 2024 and mental

health; c) studies that are not related to mental

health and Bangladesh, d) Studies that not

published in English.

Case studies

This study collected 03 case studies of July

uprising protestors, who interviewed on their

mental health pressure. This case studies were

collected from different English newspapers

where they published the interviews.

Data analysis

This study applied a thematic and content-

based analytical approach to examine

secondary evidence regarding the impact of

the July massacre on the mental health of

victims. Before utilizing thematic and content-

based analytical approaches, the selected

secondary dataset was evaluated for reliability

and relevance, and then cleaned, coded,

clustered, and organized to ensure consistency.

Ethical Considerations

This study complied with ethical standards to

guarantee research integrity and transparency.

The objectives, inclusion criteria, and methods

were explicitly defined, and sources were

appropriately referenced to avoid plagiarism.

There was no fabrication, falsification, or

misrepresentation of the data. No primary data

collection involving human subjects required

formal ethical approval.

Results and Discussion

During the July 2024 uprising, people of all

ages participated in the protest against the

Hasina government, witnessing mass killings and

shootings perpetrated by law enforcement

agencies under government orders. OHCHR

(2025) reported that around 1400 citizens,

predominantly youth, were murdered, and more

than 13,529 individuals were injured. The

situation has turned into a nightmare for the

protesters, as wounded people have witnessed

mass murders, gunfire, and aerial attacks by

helicopters.

School-aged children, adolescents, and

young people were the majority of participants

in the protest, becoming victims of government-

imposed torture and killings. There was constant

anxiety among their family members, as they

were uncertain whether their children were being

murdered. Numerous injured protesters remain

hospitalized, with some having lost body organs

due to gunshot wounds. Family members of the

martyr, injured protesters, and eyewitnesses are

highly vulnerable to mental health crises.

In Bangladesh, public health services are

inconsistent with the demand for mental health

support (Hossain et al., 2014). Mental health

issues are largely neglected in Bangladesh

because of a lack of awareness, inadequate

medical care capacity, and prevalent

superstitions (Rezvi et al., 2022). Students,

teenagers, and young people are especially at

risk of mental health crises during the July

movement of 2024. Most impacted are

students who witnessed shootings, blasts, and

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acts of violence; they find it difficult to resume

their regular lives (Ovee, 2024). Doctors identified

symptoms such as irritation, sleep difficulties,

anxiety, and restlessness among protesters,

emphasizing the necessity of obtaining medical

counseling for a return to a normal life (Ovee,

2024). A student protester in a daily newspaper

stated the following:

“I sleep three to four hours per day. I cannot

sleep through the night. As if I have to see the

light and only then can I fall asleep.” (Lohani,

2024).

The incident immersed them in a state of

constant fear and worry during and after the

tragedy.

“Every time I see the news, there's a real fear

that some of the protesting students won't return.

This devastates me. I desire an end to the

bloodshed.”(Anika, 2024).

Case study 01: Mental health status of a

protestor

Razi (a pseudonym), a resident of Mirpur,

Dhaka, participated actively in the July 2024

Movement. Razi witnessed numerous traumatic

events throughout the protests, and despite the

movement's recent success, he has found it

challenging to regain a sense of normalcy. He

has experienced significant sleep disruptions

that have affected his ability to rest properly, and

his temper has become unpredictable, resulting

in his quick irritation. (Ovee, 2024)

Furthermore, many injured protestors are

hospitalized and their families lose all their

savings to continue the treatment. Some families

lost their only income earners, and some families

lost their only child. Anxiety, distress, sleep

disruption, and depression are common

scenarios for those family members.

Even after five to six months have passed

since the incident, protesters continue to

experience trauma when they pass by the roads

or locations where they participated in the

protest. They become fearful when they see any

elements linked with the protest.

Case study 02: Mental health status of a

protestor

Saima (a pseudonym), a student of Dhaka

University, experienced a traumatic event during

the protest in Dhanmondi. While passing by

Dhanmondi Star Kabab a month after the

incident, Saima's senses remain sensitive. She

experiences flashbacks of the event and feels

fear upon hearing loud noises, fearing the sound

of gunshots (Sarwar, 2024).

Even law enforcement agencies become an

element of fear for some of the students. It

makes them anxious when they confront any

police vehicle nearby.

Case study 03: Mental health status of a

protestor

Sabbir (a pseudonym), experienced intense

and ongoing fear during the protests because

he was afraid of police raids. He explains that

he was constantly worried about being arrested,

and every time a police car drove by, he would

anxiously peek through his curtains to see if they

were coming for him (Sarwar, 2024).

Saima and Sabbir's mental health

experiences highlight the significant

psychological effects of political turmoil and

state violence on young protesters. Saima's

heightened senses, persistent memories, and

anxiety provoked by loud sounds and police

presence are indicating of post-traumatic stress

disorder (PTSD). Sabbir's persistent anxiety of

police raids and his hyper-vigilant behavior,

illustrated by watching police vehicles through

curtains, indicates signs of chronic anxiety and

perhaps acute stress disorder. His anxiety is a

common response among individuals who are

exposed to continuous threats, as it is based on

the anticipation of danger. Both instances

highlight the extent to which state repression can

induce widespread fear and anxiety among

protestors, even beyond the immediate context

of protests.

The findings showed that victims of state-

sponsored violence during the July Movement

2024 in Bangladesh experienced significant

adverse effects, with trauma, stress, and

depression becoming prevalent in their mental

health. These instances emphasize the necessity

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for mental health treatments targeted for people

impacted by political violence. Trauma-

informed treatment, peer support networks, and

accessible counseling services are essential for

assisting protestors in processing their

experiences, recovering a sense of security, and

mitigating long-term psychological effects.

Otherwise, severe psychological distress and

sadness among the injured protesters may result

in suicidal incidents.

Existing policies and Challenges

Bangladesh's dedication to tackling mental

health issues in a thorough and compassionate

manner is demonstrated by the country's mental

health strategy, which marks an important

turning point. An inclusive framework for mental

health promotion, prevention, treatment, and

rehabilitation is created by the policy, which

acknowledges mental health as a crucial aspect

of total social and economic development and

incorporates local circumstances with

international standards (BMHA, 2018; BNMHP,

2022; BNMHSP, 2020). Some mental health

policies are following;

Bangladesh National Mental Health Policy-

2022: An important step in enhancing mental

health services in the nation is the Bangladesh

National Mental Health Policy 2022. In order to

guarantee that all citizens have access to high-

quality, reasonably priced mental health care, it

places a strong emphasis on an inclusive, rights-

based approach. The policy encourages early

diagnosis, treatment, and community-based

rehabilitation by integrating mental health into

basic healthcare. It also aims to lessen the

discrimination and stigma attached to mental

illness.

The policy emphasizes the necessity of

strengthening the mental health workforce,

fostering multi-sectoral collaboration, and

creating capacity. Vulnerable groups, like

children, teenagers, and individuals with

impairments, need particular attention. It also

urges the creation of regulatory frameworks to

oversee mental health services, increased

research, and public awareness.

All things considered; this strategy offers a

thorough foundation for addressing

Bangladesh's mental health issues. Strong

political will, sufficient funding, and ongoing

oversight are necessary for its successful

implementation in order to enhance mental

health outcomes across the country (BNMHP,

2022).

Bangladesh National Mental Health

Strategic Plan 2020–2030: A thorough road

map for bolstering mental health systems across

the country is provided by the Bangladesh

National Mental Health Strategic Plan 2020–

2030. It starts with a thorough situation analysis

that identifies staffing, funding, and service

delivery deficiencies. The goal of the plan is to

guarantee high-quality, reasonably priced, and

easily accessible mental health services that are

integrated into the larger healthcare system.

Increasing community-based services,

decreasing stigma, raising awareness of mental

health issues, and developing human resource

capacity are some of the main goals.

The policy targets vulnerable groups,

including children, adolescents, and those

impacted by substance use, and stresses multi-

sectoral collaboration encompassing the health,

education, and social sectors. In order to support

evidence-based policy and practice, it also

describes procedures for research, monitoring,

and evaluation.

With everything considered, the strategy is

bold and in line with international best practices,

but continuing political support, more financing,

and efficient execution at all care levels are

necessary for its success (BNMHSP, 2020).

Bangladesh Mental Health Act 2018: A

contemporary legislative framework for mental

health care in the nation has been established

by the Bangladesh Mental Health Act 2018,

which represents a substantial departure from

the antiquated Lunacy Act of 1912. The Act

seeks to safeguard the rights and dignity of

people with mental health disorders by

acknowledging mental illness as a medical

disease rather than a moral or criminal failing. It

presents precise definitions of mental illness,

treatment consent, and the functions of mental

health facilities and psychiatrists.

Important clauses include the creation of

licensing and regulatory frameworks for mental

health facilities, medical certification and

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consent procedures, and patient admission,

treatment, and discharge policies. The Act

places a strong emphasis on patients' rights,

such as confidentiality, abuse protection, and

the ability to challenge decisions about their

care. Additionally, it gives vulnerable populations

like children and patients who do not provide

their consent special consideration.

Whatever is considered, the Act is a positive

step in guaranteeing Bangladeshi mental health

care that is compassionate and grounded in

rights. However, in order to convert its legal

protections into practical advancements for

those with mental illness, its efficacy will require

strong implementation, sufficient funding, and

ongoing supervision (BMHA, 2018).

Policies Challenges:

Significant mental health issues were brought

on by Bangladesh's July Movement in 2024,

particularly for student demonstrators and their

families. Research showed that among those

who survived the violence and persecution

during the protests, the prevalence of depression

(82.5%) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

(64.1%) was startlingly high (Ahsan et al., 2025).

Long-term psychological damage resulted from

violent crackdowns, arrests, and police raids that

left many students with anxiety, nightmares,

flashbacks, and emotional numbness (Anjuman,

2025; Sarwar, 2024).

Anxiety and despair were made worse by the

government's internet blockade during the

movement, which further increased tension and

feelings of loneliness by interfering with

communication and access to necessary

services (Rafi & Islam, 2025). The critical need for

comprehensive mental health care is

highlighted by the fact that around 75% of

injured protesters had bipolar disorder and

depression (Dhaka Tribune, 2024).

Along with this grief and psychological stress

were also experienced by victims' families, and

the stigma associated with mental health kept

many activists from getting treatment, which

made their pain worse (Anjuman, 2025).

Students at universities were at risk for mental

health crises since there were insufficient

counseling options available. In addition to

highlighting the need for more services, public

awareness, and government responsibility to

promote rehabilitation and healing, the

movement revealed the serious shortcomings in

Bangladesh's mental health system (Anjuman,

2025; Mushfiq, 2024).

Policy Recommendation

The 2024 July Movement in Bangladesh,

characterized by extensive protests and ensuing

violence, has significantly impacted the mental

well-being of both demonstrators and the

families of those affected. Research indicate

that a large number of injured protestors are

facing psychological distress. According to a

study by the National Institute of Mental Health,

75% of those injured have reported experiencing

different degrees of depression, with more than

27% suffering from severe depression.

Furthermore, over half of the affected individuals

show signs of anxiety and emotional strain

(Dhaka Tribune, 2024).

To address the ongoing mental health crisis,

the University Grants Commission (UGC), in

partnership with UNESCO, has launched the

'Social and Mental Health Protection' initiative.

This program aims to provide psychological

support to 10,000 students from 22 public and

private universities who were impacted by the

July-August movement (The New Age, 2024).

To further mitigate the mental health effects

on protestors and their families, the Government

of Bangladesh (GoB) should consider the

following policy measures:

•Develop community-based mental

health services: The government should set up

mental health facilities in local clinics and

establish mobile units to provide accessible

psychological care, particularly in remote and

underserved regions.

•Integrate Mental Health Services into

Primary Healthcare: Healthcare providers

should be trained in trauma-informed practices,

and a referral system should be put in place to

ensure individuals are connected with

appropriate mental health professionals.

•Establish Long-Term Psychological

Rehabilitation Programs: Free counseling,

support groups, and specialized treatment for

PTSD should be offered, along with continuous

follow-up programs to support the long-term

mental health recovery of individuals.

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•Encourage Public-Private Partnerships

for Mental Health Support: Partnerships with

NGOs, private entities, and academic institutions

should be strengthened to enhance the reach

of mental health services and introduce mental

health programs in workplaces and universities.

• Strengthen Legal and Policy

Frameworks for Mental Health Protection: New

laws and policies should be enacted to

acknowledge the mental health effects of

political violence and provide financial support

and long-term care for the affected victims.

•Increase Public Awareness on Mental

Health Issues: Public awareness campaigns and

peer-support networks should be established

nationwide to educate citizens, reduce stigma,

and encourage the seeking of professional

mental health assistance.

•Expand Digital and Telehealth-Based

Mental Health Services: The development of

online counseling services, helplines, and AI-

assisted virtual therapy can provide confidential

and immediate mental health support to those

in need.

•Promote Ethical and Trauma-Sensitive

Media Reporting: Media outlets should adopt

responsible reporting guidelines to avoid

retraumatizing protest victims while providing

information on available mental health

resources.

By adopting these strategies, the

psychological burden on those affected by the

July Movement can be significantly reduced,

contributing to a healthier and more resilient

society.

Limitation and Future Work

This study presents several limitations;

primarily, it depends on secondary data sources

due to the unavailability of direct psychological

evaluations of victims, which may not fully reflect

the extent of their trauma. Moreover, the lack of

longitudinal studies makes it challenging to

assess the prolonged psychological effects of

the July 2024 movement. Another limitation is the

potential underreporting of mental health issues,

as victims may hesitate to disclose their struggles

due to cultural stigma, fear of repercussions, or a

lack of awareness regarding psychological

conditions. Furthermore, political and institutional

constraints, including restrictions on data

collection and potential suppression of

information, obstruct a thorough understanding

of the mental health crisis.

Due to having limited sources literature on

July Uprising in Bangladesh 2024, this study had

to rely on Newpapers articles or editorials. Future

research should concentrate on longitudinal

monitoring of mental health outcomes to

evaluate enduring psychological effects.

Research should focus to explore the

development of coping mechanisms post-

protests and analyse mental health disparities

across various locations, age demographics,

and socio-economic strata. Assessing the

efficacy of current mental health programs,

including government and NGO-led initiatives, is

essential. Furthermore, the impact of

government policies, legal justice, and social

support systems on mental health outcomes

should be further studied.

Conclusion

The July 2024 uprising in Bangladesh has

significantly exacerbated pre-existing mental

health challenges, becoming a serious public

health concern. With thousands of lives lost and

tens of thousands directly impacted, the

trauma's psychological toll is immense. Families

of the deceased and those seriously injured are

particularly vulnerable to developing mental

health conditions. This study underscores the

urgent need for targeted policies that address

the specific mental health needs of these

victims, facilitating access to support and

resources for recovery and long-term well-being.

Further research is needed to fully understand

the scope of the mental health crisis and

develop effective interventions.

Funding Statement

This study received no specific grant from any

funding agency.

Conflict of interests

The authors declare that there has no conflict

of interests.

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