RANGPUR, Oct 25, 2019 (BSS) – Speakers at a discussion today stressed on
creating public awareness along with strict enforcement of the Child Marriage
Restraint Act-2017 to eliminate child marriage for attaining the sustainable
development goals (SDGs).
Officials and women rights’ activists said this at the event arranged in
observance of the International Day of the Girl Child-2019 at Bir Muktijoddha
Tipu Munshi auditorium in Kawnia upazila of the district.
With assistance of Plan International Bangladesh, RDRS Bangladesh organised
the event participated by officials, marriage registrars, religious leaders,
teachers, adolescents, women rights’ activists and journalists.
Assistant Commissioner (Land) of Kawnia upazila Jasmine Nahar attended the
discussion as the chief guest with Senior Manager (Women Rights Unit) of RDRS
Bangladesh Mezbahun Nahar in the chair.
Community Mobilisers of RDRS Bangladesh Parul Khatun and Ashraful Islam,
Assistant Teachers Shahidul Islam and Shree Abhoy Chandra also spoke.
Project Officer of Bangladesh Counter Trafficking in Persons Project of
RDRS Bangladesh Md Abdur Rahman discussed the Child Marriage Restraint Act-
2017 and policies for its implementation.
“Early marriage of premature girls leads them toward catastrophic lives
destroying their mental and physical health and future along with causing
neonatal and maternal deaths mostly in backward rural areas,” Rahman said.
Mezbahun Nahar stressed on creating awareness among parents, guardians,
community leaders and marriage registrars and strict implementation of the
Child Marriage Restraint Act-2017 to eradicate the social curse.
She laid emphasis on involving adolescents, youths, government and NGO
officials, public representatives, religious leaders, marriage registrars and
local community leaders for proper implementation of the Act.
The chief guest called for preventing child marriage through checking smart
national identity cards and birth registration documents before registering a
marriage to build a better society on way to achieve the SDGs by 2030.
She called upon the participants to play their leading roles in preventing
child marriage to flourish latent talents and leadership of girl children to
make them worthy citizens and ensure their equal rights.