Quick disposal of acid attack cases planned
Monitoring cell to be formed at every district, says home minister
Acid-crime victims, social activists and other participants of the first-ever international conference on Acid Survivors Foundation light candles at Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh yesterday evening as a gesture of solidarity.Photo: Syed Zakir Hossain
Monitoring cells would be formed at district levels for quick disposal of acid-violence cases, said Home Minister Sahara Khatun yesterday.
"Normally the acid-violence cases take time delaying acid-victims justice. A national monitoring cell has already been formed in this regard headed by a joint secretary of the home ministry and such cells would be formed at district levels as well," she said at the first international conference of Acid Survivors Foundation (ASF) yesterday afternoon.
Talking about the work of ASF for acid-victims, the minister said the government would offer them all kinds of possible support to help acid-crime survivors.
She said Bangladesh could be an example for the world by reducing acid violence. She urged all to be united against the brutal crime.
The daylong first international conference was organised to celebrate the 10th anniversary of ASF. Around 500 acid victims and their representatives from India, Pakistan, England, Uganda and Cambodia participated in the conference.
The day's proceedings started with a colourful procession from the Fine Arts faculty of Dhaka University. The procession ended at the Institution of Engineers Bangladesh.
Social Welfare Minister Enamul Huq Mostafa Shaheed was present during the inaugural session of the conference.
The concluding session of the conference was chaired by ASF acting Chairperson Parveen Mahmud. British High Commissioner Stephan Evans, Canadian High Commissioner Robert McDougall, plastic and reconstructive surgeon Ronald Williams Hiles, Chief Child Protection (section Unicef) Bangladesh Rose Anne Papavero and Editor of The Daily Prothom Alo Matiur Rahman spoke on the occasion.
Later, acid victims lit candles and a cultural programme was also held.