Leaders and activists of Citizens Programme for Human Development (CPHD), an organization working to protect rights of women and children, at a human chain in front of the National Press Club yesterday voiced its concern over the rising trend of violence against women and children. The girls who are grown with the dreams of having a glorious life are often subjected to torture even though they become aware of their rights through education, a speaker at a rally following the human chain said. Violence against women in Bangladesh is widespread; administrative failure and lack of social resistance are the main reasons that let the perpetrators off scot-free, observed speakers. Acid not only mars a face it spoils a girl’s whole life, a speaker noted.
The country introduced the death penalty for acid attack and law to strictly control sale, use, storage and  trading of acid; but the law is still ineffective, they lamented. Kaiser Ahmed, executive officer of CPHD, said, “We are still not fortunate enough to taste freedom. The present situation defeats medieval barbarism. The tragic killing of Razon defines our society.” A girl has to go out of the house leaving her parents fraught with anxiety; if she rejects a boy’s love proposal, she has to come under acid attack, said Rabiul Islam Rabi, operation manager of CPHD. Speakers at the rally urged the government to take effective measures to ensure women and children’s security, strictly enforcing the law against acid violence and eve teasing.