Bangladesh: Adolescent Escapes Child Marriage in Nandigram

An adolescent escaped from marriage at the intervention of Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) of Nandigram upazila in Bogra district on Friday last, officials and local public representatives said.

Parents of both sides arranged the marriage ceremony of adolescent Nurunnahar Begum, 14, daughter of Abdur Razzaque Sarker of village Kathom in Vatgarm UP of Nandigram upazila with Abdul Hannan, 20, of Domonpukur village in Shahjahanpur upazila of Bogra. Getting information, UNO Abdur Razzak Sarker of Nandigram upazila with police forces rushed to the spot on Friday night and stopped the marriage of the girl to save her future.

The UNO successfully convinced parents of both sides to stay away from child marriage and father of the girl agreed to continue education of Nurunnahar, who is a student of class seven now.

The local people became very happy for the initiative taken by the UNO in saving the adolescent from the curse of child marriage.

It may be mentioned here that the same UNO stopped another child marriage between adolescent Shohagi Khatun, 14, daughter of Shahjahan Ali of Damgara village with Sohel Rana, 17, son of Saiful Islam of Rahman Nagar area in the upazila on last January 25.

Source: The New Nation – 16 Febraury 2008