Acid Violence: Need to Stop

Acid throwing is one of the heinous works which is increasing rapidly in Bangladesh. All most all the time the victims of acid throwing are women in this country. In October 7, 2010 at the national newspaper of Bangladesh, Daliy Prothom Alo, one report published entitled “Need Protest against Acid Violence” where 3 case studies on the victims of acid throwing have shown.

Case Study 1:
The terrorist throw acid to Rowshon Ara in June 19, 2002, when she was studying in class 9 or ninth grade. It was mid night; the terrorist threw acid throw the window. Rowshon woke up with an unbearable pain. After the treatment in the medical though she got her life back, the society did not accept her. In school, natives’ house, in a meeting and wherever she went, people neglect her due to her disfigured or scare of face and odor of body. Now the world is pale and meaningless for her. However, she did not get any legal support or justice and still she does not know who and why acid is thrown to her?

Case Study 2:
The main fault of Rupjaan was she wanted to help her poor father from her won income. Before marriage she helped her father form her income and after marriage she wanted to continue it. However, her wicked husband did not accept this. As a result, one night after quarrelling with her husband, her husband threw acid on her face and flees away and did not come back again. Rupjaan went to court to take legal action against her husband, but due to lack of money she could not continue it, so one day the court dismisses the case. Rupjaan said with great sorrow that people like her, who does not have money to eat how they will arrange money to get proper justice!

Case Study 3:
Rashida Khatun did not accept the offensive proposal of the bad guy; therefore, the wicked guy thrown acid to her face and body. The superior in the society, chairman of that are and even police did not come to help her. The words of the acid thrower become true that with money he can buy everything and he proved it!

Recently, in October 2, 2010, one incident of acid throwing happened in my hometown Chittagong. Some terrorist throw acid to 3 girls together, inside their home.

These are the only four examples of victims of acid violence, there are many more victims who are suffering, and neglected by the society and law. Most of the time the victim of the acid throwing is women and the women who are underprivileged. Acid victims are forced to give up their education, job and other social activities as it takes time for recovering from the trauma. Moreover, the victims have to face isolation and many obstructions which destroy their self-esteem and confidence as scars due to acid are not just skin deep, it become the main barrier to lead a normal life. In a country like Bangladesh the acid victims face great difficulty in finding work and if unmarried, as many victims tend to be, they have very little chance of ever getting married. As a result, many of them committed to suicide. However, many organizations like BRAC (http://www.brac.net/) and other governmental and nongovernmental organizations are working to make consciousness against acid throwing and build fund for the acid victims. However, meetings and seminars are not enough to stop acid throwing. Effective and strict law is needed to prevent acid throwing. Moreover, the lessons to stop acid terrorism should stop form the family. Finally, people from all level of the society should come forward to uproot the seeds of acid violence from the society.

. Here is one link of a report on Combating Acid Violence in Bangladesh, India and Cambodia which I found is really helpful.
http://www.lawschool.cornell.edu/womenandjustice/upload/Combating-Acid-V...