On 21st May 2023, a preliminary meeting was held between ASF and the representatives of the Meghna Executive Holdings (MEH), on behalf of Meghna Executive Foundation, in the ASF Office, to explore opportunities for partnership and collaboration to create a meaningful impact and make a difference in the lives of acid attack survivors.
ASF conducted a 2-day long training session for 13 Acid Survivors represented from different district. The training was held at Dhaka on 13th and 14th May, 2023. Mr. Motahar Akand facilitated the training. In a patriarchal society, we are all too familiar with power attributed to persons of certain identities of gender, race, age, and so on. The moto of the training was to provide adequate knowledge on “Feminist Leadership and Gender”. The training was very participatory, learning and enjoyable. This training was funded by Mutual Trust Bank (MTB) Ltd.
Monira was only 15 when she was attacked with acid in 2003 for turning down a marriage proposal. She received treatment at Faridpur Medical College Hospital and Dhaka Medical College hospital before getting admitted to ASF Hospital in 2004 where she later worked as a ward attendant for 10 years.
In September 2022, Monira faced complications giving birth to her second child. Ever since she suffered from various health issues related to her liver, kidney, bladder, and postpartum complications requiring advanced treatment.
Monira’s family is poor and cannot afford the cost of multiple surgeries and repeated ICU stays. Her newborn baby also suffers from poor health. In September 2022, ASF came forward to support Monira financially and mentally.
To help cover the expense of Monira’s treatments more help is needed. Please donate to support Monira and her family.
“I am thankful to ASF because my relatives did not think of me as much as ASF had”, said Sumi. ASF hopes that Sumi becomes self-reliant and lives with her head held up high in society.
On November 2014 Sumi was attacked with acid blinding both her eyes and damaging her face and hands. She received treatment from Dhaka Medical Colleagues & Hospital (DMCH) and then ASF. Later she was sent to Chennai, India by ASF for better eye treatment.
Sumi is blind and has a child. ASF is going to give her an auto rickshaw as per her request. Her uncle will drive the auto-rickshaw and pay part of his income to Sumi daily. This way Sumi will be able to bear her daily expenses and the cost of her child’s education.
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Jesmin’s father worked in a launch boat and her mother died when she was very young. After her mother’s passing, she started living with her older sister. Around age 13 she was removed from school and married to her 20-year-old boyfriend who worked as a dice mechanic. They lived in Konapara, Dhaka, and had 3 children together.
One day Jesmin’s husband borrowed a large sum of money from a powerful person. He could not repay the money and went missing one day never to return leaving Jesmin and the children to fend for themselves. Jesmin started to work as a maid in different households to feed her kids and repay the money her husband borrowed. Her son started work in a shop that paid only 100 Tk a day. Time passed and after almost two years, Jesmin cleared the loan.
Suddenly in 2016, her husband came back. He physically abused her and the children, and even broke their house. Jesmin’s brother-in-law stepped forward and told him to stop otherwise he would call the cops. After a few days, her husband apologized and they lived like family again.
But one day her husband suddenly started packing his things. He bid the kids goodbye and left the house. Before Jesmin could even process what had happened, he came back, sent the kids out of the house, beat Jesmin and brought a bottle of acid and splashed it on her, and left the house locking the door behind him.
The acid burnt her eyes, face, neck, back, chest, hands, and feet. Jesmin screamed in pain. There was not a single drop of water in the tap as a result of load-shedding. Neighbors came forward with all their drinking water but alas it was not enough to relieve the pain.
Jesmin was brought to Dhaka Medical College Hospital. She stayed there for a month. After being discharged from DMCH she went home and later came to ASF. ASF has been by her side ever since.
She has had 4 operations since but still feels a strong burning sensation in her chest and can’t lay on her side due to pain and discomfort.
Jesmin’s brother filed a case against the perpetrator but did not receive justice. She currently lives with her brother, a cook, and his family.
On January 2023 ASF came forward and arranged a reconstructive surgery for Jesmin at Shaheed Sohorawardy Medical College & Hospital. Her surgery is complete and is now recovering. Her well-wisher ASF will always be by her side.