Marriageable age for females must be unconditionally 18

The minimum legal marriageable age for females should be kept at 18 without attaching any condition in the new child marriage restraint act, demanded Samajik Protirodh Committee yesterday.

The committee, a platform of 70 rights and development organisations, at a human chain in front of the capital's Jatiya Press Club, noted that decreasing the legal marriageable age from 18 would hamper females' health, education and progress, said a statement of the committee signed by Bangladesh Mahila Parishad President Ayesha Khanam.

Human and women's rights organisations in the country have been protesting since a clause allowing marriage of girls at 16 with consent of parents and court was attached to the minimum marriageable age provision in the draft law.

The committee threatened to wage a tougher movement if their demand is not met.