Parents fined for arranging child marriage

The parents of an underage girl and a youth she was married to have been fined in Bogra. The mobile court, led by Dupchanchia UNO Shahed Parvez, intervened in the marriage ceremony at Talora Sarderpara on Friday night and fined one guardian each from both sides Tk1,000. The court also detained the two guardians, but released them after making them sign an agreement that the girl would not be sent to her in-laws' house until she reaches the legitimate age for marriage. According to family sources, the girl from Talora Sarderpara in Dupchachia eloped with her boyfriend Rashedul Islam, 20, of Gandhishwar village in Kahalu several days ago. Later, the family members accepted the relation and arranged the marriage between Asmita and Rashedul. UNO Parvez told the Dhaka Tribune that the marriage rites had already been completed when they reached the house. “The parents were asked to sign the bond under the new marriage law,” he added. The Child Marriage Restraint Bill 2017 has the provision to allow marriages of underage girls and boys in “special cases” but upon consent of the parents and approval by a court.