Acid violence declines remarkably in 12 years

The incidence of acid violence declined remarkably in the country in last 12 years, says Acid Survivors Foundation (ASF), reports BSS. Rise in social awareness, enactment of stringent laws to stop sale of acid and ensuring tough punishment of acid throwers through strict application of laws account for the fall in acid violence, experts believe. "Acid violence declined remarkably in last twelve years. It is an exceptional thing in Bangladesh perspective," said Dr Iftekharuzzaman, executive director of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB). The combined efforts of the people against acid violence has made this positive change, he said, hoped that Bangladesh would once be able to do the tough job of eradicating the cruel and dangerous vice like acid throwing. According to statistics, available with ASF website, 351 incidents of acid throwing took place in Bangladesh in 2000, in which 352 people were injured. The number of acid violence was 494 in 2002, the highest in 12 years. A total of 486 people were injured in those attacks. An analysis of data shows that the incidence of acid violence started declining gradually since 2003. The number of acid attacks and victims were 416 and 419 respectively in 2003 followed by 326 and 333 in 2004. The number of acid violence came down to 71, in which 98 persons were injured. Dr Iftekharuzzaman said this decline in acid violence is the positive impact of combined efforts by the government, law enforcers, judiciary, mass media, civil society and the common people. Public awareness has been created over the issue following cultural functions in various areas at different times, he added. ASF legal aid department informed that a total of 3,012 people were attacked in 2,702 incidents of acid violence in 12 years. A total of 438 people were convicted in cases filed over those incidents. Of the convicts, 13 were sentenced to death and 102 others life imprisonment. The government enacted two laws on March 17 in 2002 to prevent acid violence and formed an acid control council under one of the laws. Though the incidence of acid violence has declined, ASF Executive Director Munira Rahman expressed concerns over the type of danger of the crime and the unknown incidents. She thinks that enactment of tough law with death penalty and creation of awareness by all concerned helped reduce acid violence in the country.