When the costly dowry system keeps a poor, marginalised woman from tying the knot, a mass dowry-free marriage is surely appreciated by such women. In addition, if that arrangement is made for free it is even more appreciated.
Dressed up in wedding finery, Moniruzzaman was squatting at the Kuwait Islamic Yatim Complex inside Gazir Dargah beside the Jessore-Benapole highway yesterday.
He was happy that he was finally getting married to a girl despite having been beset by financial constraints.
He said he would have been happier had his father been alive today. He is the third among his five brothers and three sisters.
Monir had hardly imagined being wed in the near future because he knew how much money one needs for a marriage nowadays.
The girl he was marrying is called Rumana. Her father is also very poor. He runs his family by working at other people’s fish enclosures.
Considering her father’s poverty, Rumana had also never imagined getting married because she had known her father could barely afford to run their family, let alone arrange her marriage.
When the Kuwait Joint Relief Committee, Bangladesh Office came up with a proposal to arrange dowry-free marriages, both Monir and Rumana’s fears dissipated and both their families were elated.
Apart from this marriage, the charity organisation arranged for 19 other simultaneous dowry-free marriages yesterday.
Sharjah Charity Director Mohammad Hamdan Al Jari, who came from the United Aram Emirates, project chief Mohammad Abdur Rahman Ahmed Sa’Ab Ali and donors Yusuf Mohammad Kashim Mohammad Ali and Mrs Kashim Mohammad Al Ali attended the mass marriage ceremony.
Mohammad Hamdan Al Jari said it was the fifth time they had arranged such a mass marriage. It would continue even in the days to come.
Kuwait Islamic Yatim Complex administrative officer Mohammad Nasirullah said they had conducted 260 marriages prior to yesterday’s 20. They had also taken on the responsibility of looking after these individuals as well as their marriages.
The charity would even bear the cost of educating the children born from these unions, he said.
Each of the 20 couples was given a rickshaw van, a sewing machine, a gold ornament etc which are necessary for running a family. They were also each given some money.
The 19 other couples were Bipul Biswas-Masura Khatun, Jahidul Islam-Mahmuda Akter Pinki, Almas Ali-Rabia Khatun, Miraj-Jahirun Khatun, Saiful Islam-Sathi Akter, Jamal Hossain-Shamoli Khatun, Ripon Hossain-Rumi Khatun, Tarikul Islam-Marjina Khatun, Mohorrom Ali- Kulshium Khatun, Rahman Hossain-Irani Khatun, Akter Hossain-Bristy Khatun, Jewel Rana-Shefali Khatun, Rafiqul Islam-Akhi Khatun, Mostofa Kamal-Ruma Akter, Hasan Ali-Sheuli Khatun, Ashikur Rahman-Shila Khatun, Ziaur Rahman-Farida Yasmin, Idris Ali-Mariam Khatun and Mizanur Rahman-Shilpi Khatun.
They all hail from various upazilas in Jessore and Magura.