The Acid Survivors Foundation is a Bangladeshi non-governmental organisation dedicated to raising awareness and preventing acid attacks and providing survivors with medical and legal aid. History The Foundation was founded in Dhaka in 1999 by British physician Dr John Morrison with considerable assistance from British surgeon, Dr Ronald Hiles and subsequently, a group of four concerned citizens namely i) Mr. Kazi Fazlur Rahman, former adviser to the caretaker president. ii) Dr. S. L. Sen, Plastic Surgeon. iii) Advocate Sigma Huda & iv) Mr. Selim Ahmed on 12 May 1999 with substantial support from UNICEF and the Canadian International Development Agency. Nasreen Huq a commanding personality in the field of social reform and human rights in Bangladesh campaigned internationally for ASF. In 2005, Monira Rahman the Ex-Executive Director of ASF was awarded the Human Rights Award by Amnesty International. Bangladesh's ASF has subsequently been used as a model organisation for the establishment of ASFs in Uganda, Cambodia, and Pakistan, all of which are sustained by Acid Survivors Trust International (ASTI) also headed by Sir John Morrison. Notification and Referral Services (NRS) Upon its establishment the ASF worked in collaboration with BRAC to develop a nationwide notification system to identify acid attacks within 24-hours. Within 48-hours the situation is to be investigated and the victim brought to the ASF hospital in Dhaka. A 24/7 hotline is also maintained, which allows attacks to be reported and victims to be transferred to the ASF hospital. The NRS also allows government agencies, NGOs, and the media to stay informed. Acid Survivors Foundation Hospital Acid attack victims require specialised treatments including reconstructive plastic surgery, physiotherapy, and the application of pressure garments. Patients usually need specialised treatment for the eye, ear, nose, mouth, neck, and/or other body parts. Other injuries and health conditions including fractures, diabetes, pregnancy, etc. will affect the course of treatment procedure. Upon ASF's inception in 1999, the Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), with its 8-bed burn unit, was the only hospital in Bangladesh that specialised in treating any form of burn injury. To partially rectify the situation, ASF, with the help of the British High Commission and British Women's Association started a 20-bed Burn Rehabilitation Center in November 1999, which has become known as informally as Thikana (meaning destination in Bengali). Psychological support services The permanently damaging nature of acid attacks and the inefficiency of the Bangladesh justice system are a serious and