Shawline Hossain

Acid throwing is one of the most heinous crimes. Now-a-days, it has become very rampant in our country. Almost every day, we find incidents of acid throwing in all the newspapers of our country. It is found that majority of the acid-throwers are frustrated lovers. When they fail to win the hearts of their beloved, they try to avenge their refusal. Finding no other way of taking revenge, they throw acid on them.

The effect of acid throwing is very destructive. In most cases, the victims succumb to injuries. And those who survive lead a very miserable life. They are either crippled or paralysed. The victims also look ugly as their faces are deformed.

I am a villager from Noakhali district. One could find there many women victims of acid attacks for many reasons. Majeda is one such victim. She was 17 years old and seven months' pregnant when a man attacked her over a family land dispute. The authorities are still unsure as to who attacked her or even why she was chosen for the attack. The perpetrator disappeared two days later. Acid destroyed most of her face, left her in severe pain and seriously infected. Majeda was brought to Dhaka by bus for better treatment. This was in July 2010. Both her eyeballs were hanging out and were badly burnt, and her face was disfigured. Shortly after arriving at the hospital, she gave birth prematurely to a son she named Emon.

Acid-throwing cannot be curbed overnight. First of all, the law and order situation of the country should be improved. The law- enforcing authorities should always be alert. The criminals should be sternly dealt with. Exemplary punishment should be meted out to them.

The government has already enacted a law that awards capital punishment to the acid throwers. The judiciary should be prompt in punishing the criminals because there goes a proverb that 'justice delayed is justice denied'. More law-enforcing authorities should be deployed at important points so that they could swing into action immediately after an incident of acid-throwing occurs.

Most of the acid-throwers are either students or unemployed youths. If they could be engaged either in sports or other recreational activities or given jobs, many of them will give up such criminal activities. Moreover, people of all walks of life should come forward in helping check acid-throwing. After all, the incidents take place in their localities.

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