She also stressed the need for treatment and rehabilitation of the acid survivors and creating awareness about acid violence.

She was speaking at the concluding ceremony of a workshop on 'Boosting self-confidence of the acid survivors' at Satkhira Officers' Club.

The workshop was jointly organised by ActionAid and Swadesh.

Sultana Kamal said the nation is passing through a critical moment now as a result of the corrupt practices by a vested quarter.

Acid violence is the worst form of violence against women that manifests gender disparity, said the former adviser, adding that social isolation torments the acid victims most.

"We must support the acid victims not by marginalising them but by treating them as a part of the society," she added.

Justice Nizamul Haque Nasim, who attended the workshop as special guest, said acid throwers not only harm the victims but also ruin their families.

He emphasised the need for identifying those culprits and their exemplary punishment.

"Economic emancipation is necessary to protect the acid victims from ostracism and ensure they lead a normal and dignified life," he added.

Samia Ahmed of ActionAid said 99 percent of acid victims are women and girls but men should come forward to stop such attacks.

Terming acid attackers as enemies of the society, the speakers at the workshop pledged to resist them.

They said strict enforcement of the acid law and creating mass awareness is a must to curb acid violence.

The speakers emphasised public motivation to resist acid attackers while the acid victims urged all to stand beside them so that the acid attackers get their deserts.

Thirty acid victims also took part at the workshop that was inaugurated on July 8.

Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC-general) Siraj Uddin Ahmed chaired the workshop while Satkhira Chamber of Commerce and Industries President Sheikh Azhar Hossain, journalists Prof Abu Ahmed, Subhash Chowdhury and Kalyan Banarjee, Action Aid's Samia Ahmed, Lina Goshwami, Madhab Dutta and acid victim Anjuman Ara also spoke.