Farzana Neela journey With ASF

by ASF | Feb 1, 2022 | Blogs

Stories to take to the world

Intern Farzana Neela reflects on her journey writing survivor case stories

I interned at ASF for 2 months writing survivor case stories in Bangla. During this time one thing consistently left me in awe–how survivors could narrate their painful stories and still paint half a smile across their face at the end and say they were doing okay. Genuine or not I couldn’t tell, and it wasn’t for me to decide either. I wrote as they told, peering over my glasses now and again reading their expressions.

The stories made it clear that they were pushed around by society like they didn’t matter or worse like they were a nuisance. How it scarred them and left them feeling empty and constantly at the brink of mental collapse. But they bounced back every time, usually because they had children to look after or more commonly because they were in search for the silver lining. Hopeful that this life was still worth living. I found myself teetering between tears and anger, anger at the perpetrators after each session.

I am alive today for ASF, survivors would chime in. A second home, they would say. After multiple encounters with survivors, it became apparent why they held ASF so close to their hearts. ASF’s services were of high quality and the only organization deeply concerned about their wellbeing.

I am truly grateful for the experience. I wish to take the stories of anguish, loss, and resilience I had gathered to the world in the hopes that it will teach the youth like myself to strive and have each other’s back through thick and thin.

Tania Zaman still awaiting justice

by ASF | Feb 1, 2022 | Survivors Story

Survivor still awaiting justice

Case Story – Tania Zaman

Date of incident: 17^th Aug 2020

Name: Tania Zaman || Age: 26 || Place: Narail

26-years-old Tania lived harmoniously with her husband in Jessore and helped him in his business. She saved up to do something of her own one day. A year before the incident, Jewel, their neighbor, borrowed more than BDT 150K from Tania for doing business. He promised to repay the money in 3 months with interest. According to Tania, when asked to repay the following year, Jewel initially made excuses and then later threatened to kill her with acid.

Following the threat, Tania lodged a general diary (GD) in Narail Sadar police station. Quickly after, Jewel offered a village arbitration meeting (Shalish) to resolve the matter. Tania therefore made her way to her father’s place to meet Jewel but later made her way to her uncle’s place at night to see the GD copy first. As per Tania’s claims, it was during this time that Jewel and his accomplice Wahidur threw acid on her.

Tania was rushed to the Narail Sadar Hospital, where she was referred to Khulna Medical College & Hospital due to her debilitation condition. Later, ASF offered her outdoor treatment, legal counseling, assisted her family with cash, and referred her to the Sheikh Hasina Burn Institute for better treatment.

“The medical report contains incorrect information. I did not receive a clearance certificate at the end of my treatment. I had to request for a copy myself later”, lamented Tania. She further claimed that the information given in the final report were false and misinterpreted and so was the evidence collected from the crime scene on the basis of a forensic report which said that she poured acid on her body herself.

Meanwhile, Tania’s husband stopped communicating with her due to her in-laws’ influence and pressure from their local influential people. But Tania was headstrong on seeing her case through. She filed a Naraji petition in court and as the date of hearing pended, she fled from her hometown to Dhaka for her safety. There she first went to the Ministry of Home Affairs and later to the Prime Minister’s Office to drop applications demanding a re-investigation.

Over a year since the incident and Tania is still battling for justice. Her body still healing and her past yet to find closure. Tania believes there is light at the end of the tunnel. The journey of a legal battle in Bangladesh is often long and arduous, with justice unguaranteed. Justice unserved to survivors is an event of retraumatization for survivors. And justice taken too long to serve is justice unserved.

We, at ASF, stand in solidarity with Tania and have our doors open to survivors like her spanned across the country seeking legal advice and a chance to connect with panel lawyers.

Sanjida Akter Bina

by ASF | Jan 25, 2022 | Latest News & Events

Wings: Burnt with Acid

18-year-old H.S.C candidate from Lalmonipur, Natore, attacked with acid coming home from coaching center.

21^st November 2021, Sanjida Akter Bina, from Lalmonipur, Natore, a gifted 18-year-old preparing for the H.S.C’s was returning home from a coaching center 40 mins away. 5:30 PM and only blocks away from home when the perpetrator flung a bottle of acid over her body and took off. The corrosive did not seep through the burka she wore but swiftly penetrated her face veil and sizzled her face and eyes. Unable to see and in searing pain Sanjida could not make out if the culprit had any accomplices. Recovering from the shock, Sanjida hurtled towards home screeching in pain. First doused with water, then rushed to the Rajshahi Medical College & Hospital, Sanjida was finally admitted to the Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, Dhaka, to receive specialized medical treatment.

The perpetrator is said to have been annoying her for over 6 months calling her from multiple numbers proposing her for marriage. Conventionally attractive, Sanjida would receive multiple proposals from across the village, and just days before the ordeal a family visited their house for her hand in marriage. Triggered by the occasion, the perpetrator enacted the vicious crime in an act of rage. The culprit has been apprehended and rightfully put behind bars.

Family’s only daughter, the incident had left Sanjida’s parents shattered and still grappling with the new reality. On top of that, social stigma around acid attack and its tendency to victim blame had made it especially difficult for the family to appear in public. On the other hand, Sanjida’s world had come tumbling down. Dreams of pursuing higher education in one of Bangladesh’s reputed universities are broken, leaving her dispirited and hopeless about her future. Consistently agitated and simmering in anger over what had happened, Sanjida is finding it incredibly hard to look ahead.

ASF’s supported her family with cash and is currently offering her legal counseling and psychological support to equip her with the mental crutches needed to strengthen her mind and will to overcome the challenge.

It will be a while before Sanjida had fully recovered and resumed a normal life. But with proper care and attention, we are hopeful she will bounce back to her bubbly self and thrive again. At the moment, Sanjida is receiving medical attention from the Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic surgery.