With the aim of preventing child marriage and increasing social awareness, Bashundhara Shuvosangho organised an awareness meeting in Durgapur upazila of Netrokona on Friday morning.
The programme was held at the Rangpur Ashrayan area of the upazila.
The meeting was chaired by Md Jamal Talukder, president of the Bashundhara Shuvosangho Durgapur Upazila unit, and conducted by Md Al Noman Shanto, general secretary of the unit and correspondent of Kaler Kantho.
Among the key speakers were Advocate Al Mamun Akand of the Dhaka District and Sessions Judge Court and SM Rafiqul Islam Rafik, adviser to the Bashundhara Shuvosangho Durgapur Upazila unit.
Others who spoke at the meeting included Vice President Rajesh Gaur, madrasa teacher Masudur Rahman Fakir, and local resident Redowan Mia, among others.
In his address, Advocate Al Mamun Akand described child marriage as a serious social ill that severely hampers the physical and mental development of children and adolescents.
He said the practice particularly obstructs girls’ education, health, and future prospects.
Referring to the Child Marriage Restraint Act 2017, he noted that child marriage is a punishable offense, but due to social unawareness, it still persists in various areas.
He emphasised that preventing child marriage requires not only strict enforcement of the law but also collective efforts by families and society, with parents playing a crucial role.
Adviser SM Rafiqul Islam Rafik said that early marriage often forces children to drop out of school, weakens them physically, and causes mental distress.
In many cases, it also leads to unwanted family breakdowns. He stressed the need for united action to prevent child marriage.
In his closing remarks, Jamal said that Bashundhara Shuvosangho has been consistently carrying out awareness programmes to prevent child marriage and expressed hope that such initiatives would continue in the future to further enhance public awareness.
Bd-pratidin English/TR
