With a feeding tube in the nose, a tracheostomy tube in the throat and the mouth protected with a surgical tape, Durjoy appeared before journalists in his father's lap looking apparently undaunted as he was playing with an empty phial.

A silence suddenly enveloped the seminar room of Jibontara Hospital of Acid Survivors' Foundation (ASF) as the journalists saw the baby boy. The only noise that was punctuating the discomforting stillness was the weeping of his mother which turned into a gut wrenching wail when Doctor Rebeca Milton of ASF started to explain the condition of Durjoy at a news conference in the hospital at Banani in the capital yesterday.

"He is now 23 months old, his vocal chord and the organs in his oral cavity including the tongue have been melted. He cannot talk and cannot breath and eat normally. Sufficiernt treatment is not available in the country as the baby needs a complicated surgery," Rebeca told the journalists.

Son of a blacksmith father, Durjoy is a victim of acid violence, as he was fed acid allegedly by his aunt on January 19 last year in a remote area Azmirpur under Bagharpara upazila in Jessore.

After being treated in Jibontara Hospital since March 6 this year, Durjoy flew to Hong Kong last night for better treatment under the supervision of ASF.

Prof Andrew Bird, head of plastic and reconstructive surgery of Prince of Wales Hospital under Chinese University of Hong Kong, will lead the team of doctors who will treat Durjoy.

"Doctors in Hong Kong are hopeful that a significant positive change in Durjoy's condition is possible," said ASF's Executive Director Manira Rahman Asha.

An estimated Tk 20,00000 (20 lakh) is needed for Durjoy's treatment, as the six persons accompanying him to Hong Kong including his parents, doctors and the operation theatre in-charge will have to stay there for eight to 12 weeks, Manira said.

"To date we could collect a total of Tk 4,77,823 from different donor organisations but we need more money," she said urging people to extend helping hands to save the boy's life.

Contributions to Durjoy's treatment fund can be sent to: Acid Survivors' Foundation, Account No. 02-1702483-03, Standard Chartered Grindlays Bank Ltd.

After four years into their marriage, Ashutosh Kumar Tarafdar and Iti Rani, Durjoy's parents, gave birth to him in 2005. Ashutosh's elder brother has two daughters.

According to the Hindu property law, girls are not entitled to inheritance. Suffering from jealousy at the idea of Durjoy becoming the heir to the family property, wife of Ashutosh's brother fed Durjoy acid when he was just one month and 19 days old, Iti said at the news conference.

After being treated in Jessore, Khulna and Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) for more than a year, in February 2006, Dr Ron Hiles, a British doctor, met Durjoy's mother at DMCH.

Hiles talked to the doctors and said the child needed a lengthy complicated surgery, which could be performed at an ASF hospital that has the necessary facilities.

ASF immediately took the responsibility of Durjoy's treatment and Hiles operated on him. At the time the doctors were not aware of the extent of damage inside his mouth. His oral cavity was totally blocked. It was difficult to put the tube for anaesthesia through the mouth.

Dr Hiles performed a tracheostomy to put in the tube for anaesthesia. Then he opened Durjoy's lips and his oral cavity through a surgery that lasted for almost seven hours.