Child marriage has increased alarmingly in Kishoreganj due to a lack of awareness among parents.
Recently, at least 32 schoolgirls have been married without their consent at Nikli upazila in the district, according to sources.
In last three months, 18 students from AB Nurjahan High under Dampara union in Nikli upazila and 14 from Karar Mahtab Uddin High School under the same upazila were married forcefully.
The girls are students of classes VI, VII, VII, IX and X and their ages range between 11 and 15.
Of the married schoolgirls – four hailed from Batiboratia village, four from Tenguria village, one girl from Guradigha village under Singpur union, four of Borokanda village, two of Aliapara village, two of Kathalkandi village and one girl from Asanpur village under Dampara union of the upazila.
A former student of AB Nurjahan School who has been forcefully married two months ago told Dhaka Tribune on condition of anonymity that suddenly some people had come to their house to see her.
“After they left our house, my parents informed me that they had fixed the next Friday as my marriage ceremony.
“I tried to make them understand and appealed to them that I want to continue my study, but all of my efforts went in vain.”
Similarly, some youths of Aliapara village said on information they tried to foil a marriage ceremony of a class XI student.
“Although parents of the girl assured us that they would not arrange her marriage, they later did not keep their words,” said a youth.
Shah Md Ahsan Ullah, head teacher of AB Nurjahan School, said suddenly child marriage had increased among students of his school.
“We are very much worried about the matter and we will hold an awareness programme as early as possible with the guardians, locals and students about the effect of child marriage.”
Md Delwar Hossain, head teacher of Karar Mahtab Uddin High School, said: “We could not stop child marriage, even trying strongly, though guardians assure us but later secretly marry off their daughters, increasing the dropout rate in the school.”
Mahbubur Rahman, union parishad chairman of Dampara union, said sometimes some people came to union parishad office to take birth certificates and requested them to increase their ages.
“We have foiled many child marriages in the last few years,” he said.
Mabubul Alam, Officer-in-Charge of Nikli police station, said an awareness meeting should be arranged in each area about the adverse impact of child marriage.
Habibur Rahman, upazila nirbahi officer of Nikli, said: “We are always trying to foil the child marriage after being informed about the matter.”
