‘In our language there are no words for depression’

Bangladeshi men have been hit hard by the pandemic – in terms of higher death rates compared to other communities, shutdown industries and job losses. But with lockdown easing, many fear that the impact of the pandemic on their mental health may be overlooked.

Imran Khan lost his father earlier this year to coronavirus. While he reached out to this GP for support, other Bangladeshi men are less likely to do so, says psychologist Shah Alam. He believes Islam could play a key role in getting men to open up and reducing the stigma around mental health issues. Imam Sheikh Abdullah Hassan has been exploring this – he has been providing mental health toolkits to more than 200 imams and scholars around the UK.

If you are affected by the issues in this story, help and support are available at BBC Action Line.

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