RANGPUR, June 17, 2019 (BSS) – Prevention of child marriage has become
crucial to flourish latent talents and leadership of girl children to make
them worthy citizens with equal rights for attaining the sustainable
development goals (SDGs).
Government officials and women rights activists expressed the view at a
meeting of the District Child Marriage Prevention Committee (DCMPC) held at
conference room of the Deputy Commissioner here on Sunday afternoon.
The district administration and Department of Women Affairs jointly
organised the meeting with assistance of RDRS Bangladesh and Plan
International Bangladesh for the DCMPC members.
Deputy Commissioner and President of the DCMPC Enamul Habib presided over
the event moderated by Member-secretary of the committee and Deputy Director
of the Department of Women Affairs Mrs. Roksana Parveen.
Member of DCMPC and Senior Manager (Women Rights Unit) of RDRS Bangladesh
Mezbahun Nahar discussed negative impacts of child marriage that shatters
life of girl children hindering their education on way to become worthy
citizens.
Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Syed Enamul Kabir, Sadar Upazila
Nirbahi Office Sadiya Ishraat Sumi and Chairman of Rangpur District unit of
Jatiya Mohila Sangstha Rosy Rahman, among others, took part in the open
discussion.
The Deputy Commissioner urged the DCMPC members to play leading role in
preventing child marriage to build a better society free from all sorts of
violence against women and gender discrimination on way to achieve the SDGs
by 2030.
Rosy Rahman said early marriage leads adolescents to catastrophic lives
destroying their mental and physical health and future side by side with
causing neonatal and maternal deaths in rural areas.
She stressed on creating awareness among parents and strict implementation
of the Child Marriage Restraint Act 2017 to eradicate the social curse that
has engulfed backward rural people.
Roksana Parveen suggested for involving adolescents, youths, government
and NGO officials, public representatives, religious leaders and marriage
registrars for proper implementation of the Act.
He suggested all concerned for preventing child marriage through checking
smart national identity cards and birth registration documents before
registering a marriage to free the society from the menace.