'Create mass awareness against early marriage'

A partial view of a big gathering at a discussion on early marriage held at Satkhira municipality auditorium on Sunday. PHOTO: STAR

NGOs like Society for Develop-ment and Education for Small Households (Sodesh), South West Information for Transformation (Swift) and Steps Toward Develop-ment jointly organised the discussion.

Speakers said that lack of knowledge about bad effects of early marriage, religious superstition, ignorance and absence of social awareness were the main reasons behind early marriage and marriage without registration.

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Mallik Rafiquzzaman presided over the discussion while

Satkhira Deputy Commissioner (DC) Md. Elias was present as chief guest. Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer K.M.Ali Azam, former M P Snigdha Haq and Sadar Upazila Officer on Women's Affairs Department Shahin Sultana were present as special guests.

It was addressed, among others, by Sodesh Executive Director Madhab Datta, Swift Treasurer Anisur Rahman, Steps representative Tarun Karmakar, teacher Sheikh Rezaul Haq, marriage registrar Sheikh Mahbubur Rahman, Asit kumar Majumdar, Sandha Rani Sikdar, Ali Ashraf, Bazlur Rahman and Sudhangsu Shekhar Sarkar.

Speakers suggested coordinated efforts of government, NGOs and other related organisations to eliminate early marriage. They also urged the authorities concerned to take action against the violators of laws.

Bhadra Kumar Das, a resident of Rishi Para in the town promised to resist early marriage in his area.