The girl is now suffering through the extremely painful aftermath of acid burns. Acid throwers have ruined the lives of many innocent girls. And it is a shame on the law enforcers that they could not stop this barbaric practice often resorted to by frustrated young men after their amorous overtures are turned down. Whatever may be the reason behind this social malady, it cannot be allowed in a civilised setting, particularly if people have an iota of sympathy for women and their rights. The reports of acid-throwing show that the rights of women exist only on paper, not in practice.

Something must also be said about fake pirs or spiritual leaders who ruthlessly exploit the sentiments of their highly gullible followers. There is no place for a person in any religion who seeks worldly pleasures or possessions in a manner that borders on debauchery. But the devotees often get impressed by such people and are cheated. Obviously, the acid-throwing pir didn't deserve to be a spiritual leader and the price that his followers have paid was a rude shock to all and sundry.

So, the Brahmanbaria incident has brought into focus two social issues. First, acid throwing continues unabated and its victims suffer silently as society fails to deal firmly with this dastardly crime. The victims are by and large poor rural women. They need direct support from both the law enforcers and the NGOs working in this area to protect themselves or fight legal battles against acid-throwers. Second, a greater awareness has to be created among people to remain alert against frauds and swindlers masquerading as pirs or religious gurus.