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GSJ: Volume 9, Issue 5, May 2021 ISSN 2320-9186 1947 GSJ: Volume 9, Issue 5, May 2021, Online: ISSN 2320-9186 www.globalscientificjournal.com Towards an Understanding of University Students Response in the Time of Pandemic Crisis: Predicting the COVID-19 Outbreak from Social Media Data: A Socio-Psychological Study in Bangladesh. - JosintaZinia* Sanjita Mostufa Suma** Shamsoon Naher Smrite*** Abdullah As Sakib**** Maliha Jahan Maisha***** ABSTRACT As a major virus outbreak in the 21st century, the Corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to exceptional hazards of global people. It has come out as the most devastating and challenging crisis for all people in the contemporary world. Among all peoples, university students are facing a big challenge in this situation. This pandemic has socio psychological impact on university students in Bangladesh. A purposive sampling study was conducted to a massive number of students in different university of Bangladesh and findings were quite alarming. Total sample (110 for Google survey and 48 for FGDs) give the idea about socio psychological situation of university students in Bangladesh. It was found that university students has gone through major socio psychological crisis during the pandemic. KEY WORDS Socio-Psychological; Stress; Depression; Resilience; University Students; Psychology of University Students; COVID-19; Crisis; Social Media. • Associate Professor, Department of Sociology, Bangladesh University of Professionals • **Department of Sociology, Bangladesh University of Professionals • *** Department of Sociology, Bangladesh University of Professionals • **** Department of Sociology, Bangladesh University of Professionals • ***** Department of Sociology, Bangladesh University of Professionals 1 GSJ© 2021 www.globalscientificjournal.com GSJ: Volume 9, Issue 5, May 2021 ISSN 2320-9186 1948 Introduction A new virus was identified in the world in 2019. It’s known as corona virus SARS-COV-2 and it is the cause of worldwide pandemic of respiratory illness. It is called COVID-19. COVID–19 pandemic has been influencing on life all over the world.COVID-19 is a disease caused by a new virus named SARS- CoV-2. Corona virus has a source of symptom common cold, but SARS-CoV-2, triggered a more severe diseases among many patients. The pandemic was first introduced in Wuhan,China. This virus was first reported to local government on 27 December and published on 31 December 2019. Total affected 112 million people, recovered 63.4 million people and deaths 2.49 million people by COVID -19 in all over the world (till 23th February, 2021). Like other countries Bangladesh is also affected by COVID-19 on 8March, 2020. But it spread in different parts of Bangladesh very quickly at the middle of March (Taylor, 2020). Total affected 544k, recovered 493k and deaths 8374 in Bangladesh (till 23Februay, 2021). The world faced different kind of pandemic in different times. WHO, aware of this serious condition, has declared the virus to be a public health emergency. The disastrous virus was first verified to have reached and spread to Bangladesh by beginning of March 2020. IEDCR (An Epidemiology Institute) reported the first cases which were stated on 8th March 2020. The pandemic is circulating across the country every day till now since then, and the number of infected people has grown. To ensure the welfare of people, the government has announced "lockdown" across the country and has arranged numerous necessary measures to ensure that this threat is eliminating. The increased number of deaths has led many elder individuals in fear, especially those ones who have been already infected with chronic diseases. The fear became reality and infected ones started suffering from both physical and mental pain. This led to the people around the patient suffering too. According to a United Nation’s survey, half of the world's young people suffer from anxiety and depression during Corona. Many people are suffering from mental problems in Corona situation. Many have lost their jobs or gone out of business. Again, family quarrels and domestic violence are rising due to staying at home for a long while, which has left many people exhausted. The unemployment rate in the country is already high. But the crisis has been exacerbated by the corona virus. Anxiety, severe stress, sleeping disorder, depression, adaptation disorders, panic disorders etc. mental health problems started to occur. And for children, teenagers, young people who already have a mental or drug addiction problem, their symptoms will increase. A new Indian Psychiatric Society study indicates a 20% rise in mental disease since the epidemic of corona virus in India (Loiwal. 2020). After identified the COVID-19 virus in Bangladesh, people became afraid very much. And Government took many steps to protect this virus. On 23th March the government declared a general leave from 26th March to 30th May to close the administration offices, nongovernment offices, schools, colleges, universities and law offices. This lockdown is increasing day by day, Students became more depressed and they were giving more time in social media. University students are passing most crucial time during this pandemic in Bangladesh. They did not face this situation as like this pandemic. Many students in Bangladesh lost their part time job and tuitions. Many students got session jots. It kept impact on their carriers and job preparation. Different students gave different responses about COVID-19. Socio- psychological impact on university students in Bangladesh is extreme. Because Bangladesh is a very small country and it has a large population. It is a developing country and most of the people are poor. The researchertook respondents from 33 universities in Bangladesh. Researcher found that 71.8% students depend on their family for their expenditure cost and second large part 12.7% students depend on tuition for their expenditure cost. This pandemic many people lost their job, made loss in their business. So, it is clear that students faced financial problems in this pandemic. Financial problem influences the people’s psychology. And this pandemic situation creates depression, anxiety, stress, physical problems 2 GSJ© 2021 www.globalscientificjournal.com GSJ: Volume 9, Issue 5, May 2021 ISSN 2320-9186 1949 among university students. Students gave more time in social media. Findings of this research show that 73.3% people gave time in social media and mostly used social media is facebook (86.4%). According to our topic socio-psychology is an idea that basically explains some basic human behaviors that are socially influenced. In our social system of Bangladesh, there are many social issues that affect a person extremely. University students of Bangladesh are basically divided into three streams. These include government universities that are funded by the government, some universities that are privately owned or under some commercial groups and some colleges that are national universities. All the universities in the country have been closed since March 16.And in this time of the epidemic,they have largely relied on online classes. However, in rural areas, the opposite has also been noticed; many are not getting the benefits of online classes. Pandemic crisis refers to the crucial moment of COVID-19, when people felt afraid to the nature and more careful to health and when there was no vaccine. Bangladesh has been a victim and the percentage had become even higher as the population of Bangladesh is also suffering more from poverty related issues and job or education uncertainty. There is not much awareness in the over-all general population of Bangladesh about mental health associations, during 12 this COVID-19 pandemic (Banna et al, 2020). Researchers found that about 41.8% students depressed some times and 28.2% students depressed very often. During pandemic situation 25.5% students are not able to sleep. Thefuture of a nation is these university students. COVID-19 pandemic is forming a severe change in university student’s mental condition, their means, and ways of life; both positively and negatively on a permanent basis. It has already been made clear by the Minister of Education (Dr. Dipu Moni) that education institutions will not open until the end of the corona virus outbreak in Bangladesh. Consequences of sexual abuse of youngsters are psychologically damaging and created permanent strain in their brain. In Bangladesh, a few literatures on the long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health and physical health and economic condition of the university students (aged 18-26) are available. The purpose of this study was to analyze the sociopsychological effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on university students in Bangladesh and evaluate the relevant factors among them in Bangladesh. Problem of the statements: The COVID-19 pandemic is the defining global health crisis of our time and the greatest challenge. We have faced recently the corona virus outbreak quickly surges worldwide. In this situation students are insecure about their job and career. The outbreak of novel corona virus declared a pandemic and international public health emergent by the world health organization. In this situation students are attached by social media. Social media are increased risk for depression, anxiety, loneliness, low self- esteem, impulsivity etc. Lock down situation created virtual communication and for this virtual interruption people totally based on internet and