Acid violence in Bangladesh is one of the rare stories where the numbers moved dramatically in the right direction. At the peak in 2002, the Acid Survivors Foundation recorded 496 attacks in a single year. Two decades later, reported attacks have fallen to a small fraction of that, with recent years seeing figures under 30 to 50 annually according to press reporting of ASF data. That decline is a national achievement. What remains is the lifelong need of the survivors.
How Bangladesh turned the numbers around
The decline did not happen on its own. In 2002, the government enacted two landmark laws, the Acid Crime Control Act and the Acid Control Act, which brought severe penalties for attackers, including capital punishment in the gravest cases, and restricted the open sale of acid. Alongside the law, organisations led by the Acid Survivors Foundation, founded in 1999, built rapid-response systems with partners like BRAC, ran national awareness campaigns, and pushed sustained policy reform. Law plus enforcement plus awareness, working together, is what bent the curve.
Who the survivors are
According to reporting on ASF data, the majority of victims have been women and girls, with attacks often linked to rejected proposals, family or land disputes, and dowry demands. Over the years, thousands of people have survived acid violence in Bangladesh, and survival is only the beginning of their story.
Why survivors need lifelong support
An acid attack creates needs that last decades, long after the case leaves the news:
- Reconstructive treatment, often requiring multiple surgeries over many years.
- Counselling and mental health support, since the trauma and social stigma are heavy and persistent.
- Livelihood and education support, because many survivors lose schooling or work after an attack.
- Legal aid, to pursue justice through a slow process.
The fall in new attacks can make the cause feel finished. For survivors, it is not.
How giving can help
Support for this cause is precise and practical: fund surgery and rehabilitation costs, back counselling and reintegration programmes, and support organisations with a track record in survivor care. Choose registered, transparent organisations and give through verified, trackable channels so support demonstrably reaches survivors. (See how to verify a charity.)
On Uddom, campaigns supporting survivors are verified before they go live and report on outcomes afterwards, so help reaches the people rebuilding their lives.
Frequently asked questions
Have acid attacks decreased in Bangladesh? Yes, dramatically. From a recorded peak of 496 attacks in 2002, reported cases have fallen to a small fraction of that in recent years, driven by the 2002 acid control laws, enforcement, and sustained awareness campaigns.
Why do acid attack survivors still need support? Recovery is lifelong. Survivors often need multiple reconstructive surgeries, ongoing counselling, livelihood and education support, and legal aid, needs that continue long after the attack itself.
By Md. Sowad Al-Mughni, Uddom. Last updated: June 2026.