Editorial
Acid violence continues despite laws
More effective implementation needed
Yet another woman has made news headlines as a victim of violence. Sharmin Akter Ankhi, an Honours final year student of Eden College, had acid thrown on her face and body and was subsequently stabbed, by an acquaintance named Monir Uddin. The incident occurred at a marriage registrar's office in Chankharpul where the woman was allegedly taken by force, and, upon refusing a marriage proposal made by Monir Uddin, attacked. Though some media reports have attempted, directly or indirectly, to question the relationship between the man and woman and what actually happened, nothing can justify the crime.
Despite a positive decline in acid crimes over the years, there have been 3112 incidents since 1999 with 3424 survivors, according to Acid Survivors Foundation. Last year, there were 71 reported incidents with 98 survivors, down from almost 500 incidents as well as survivors in 2002.
Following a lengthy movement by women's rights activists, the government in 2002 enacted the Acid Crime Control Act to control acid use and prevent acid violence. Under these laws, the maximum sentence for acid throwing is the death penalty but convictions have been hard to come by. Flaws in the legal and administrative system allow many perpetrators to get away with impunity. Coupled with this is a social stigma against victims of acid crimes. And while the numbers may have declined, even one is too many for the survivors who are left to live a life of struggle.
The fact that acid crimes still occur means that acid is available and the poor conviction rate reflective of a culture of impunity. If not stricter laws, then their more effective implementation is necessary to punish culprits and deter potential ones. With the recent, alarming rise in violence against women, the government must do everything in its power towards guaranteeing their security and ensuring that no perpetrator goes unpunished.
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