The World Population Day is being observed in the country like elsewhere across the globe on Thursday to create awareness about population growth and related issues.
This year’s theme is ‘Focus is on Adolescent Pregnancy’, reports UNB.
According to the UN, about 16 million girls under age 18 give birth each year. Another 3.2 million undergo unsafe abortions, 90% of pregnant adolescents in the developing world are married.
But for far too many of these girls, pregnancy has little to do with informed choice. Often it is a consequence of discrimination, rights violations (including child marriage), inadequate education or sexual coercion.
Various organisations have chalked out elaborate programmes to observe the day. A rally was brought out from the National Museum at 8:30am and it ended at Osmani Auditorium where Health Minister AFM Ruhal Haque inaugurated the programmes taken up to observe the day.
President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina have issued separate messages on the occasion. They called upon all concerned to play their roles in creating awareness about the early marriage, its consequences and reproductive health service.
In his message, the president stressed the need for reaching family planning services to every couple in all areas of the country. In her message, the prime minister urged the non-governmental organisations, mass media and conscious people to come forward in support of the government’s quest for controlling population.