A vigorous social movement involving the people from all walks in the society must be launched in the process of building a child marriage free Bangladesh, speakers at an advocacy workshop said yesterday.
They were addressing the workshop on ‘Prevention of Child Marriage’ organised by ‘Rupantor’ an NGO, with the assistances of Plan Bangladesh and upazila administration at Hatibandha upazila parishad auditorium in Lalmonirhat.
With Hatibandha UNO Mahbubur Rahman in the chair, upazila parishad chairman Mohammad Bodiuzzaman Velu addressed the workshop as the chief guest.
Upazila Vice-chairman K M Amjad Hosain Taju, Programme Manger of Plan Bangladesh Mahfuzar Rahman, Project Coordinator of ‘Rupantor’ Mokhlesur Rahman and local Press Club President Illias Bosunia, addressed as the special guests.
Upazila Organising Secretary of women organisation ‘Anchal’ Masuda Akhter Kalpona, its Joint Secretary Farida Yasmin, teacher Ahsan Habib Hiru, reprehensive of ‘Shishu Forum’ Ajit Roy, journalists Nurul Haque and Asaduzzaman Shaju, also spoke.
Officials, NGO executives, teachers, students, adolescents, youths, professionals, community and socio-political leaders, religious leaders, marriage registrars, public representatives and human rights activists participated.
The speakers narrated the grievous impacts of child marriage on the premature girls leading them to shattered and catastrophic lives destroying future and increasing neonatal, maternal and children deaths in rural areas.
They also discussed the reasons behind child marriage and suggested for rectifying the previous mistakes through launching a social renaissance against the curse that has engulfed the backward rural people creating unrest in the family life and society.
They stressed for creating social awareness and asked the professionals to play their due roles along with public representatives, civil society members, marriage registrars and local administrations to prevent child marriage for building a better society.
The chief guest called upon all stakeholders for launching vigorous social movement involving the people from all walks in the society to eradicate early marriage once for all from the society everywhere in Bangladesh.
-BSS
