18 to remain marriageable age for females
18 to remain marriageable age for females
Says Deputy Speaker
The minimum marriageable age for females will remain at 18, announced Deputy Speaker of parliament Fazle Rabbi Miah yesterday.
“I have read in newspapers that some quarters are attempting to lower the minimum age to 16, but as far as I know the attempts have failed. The age can never be reduced from 18,” he said.
He was addressing a session of Child Parliament as chief guest at LGED Bhaban in the capital.
The session on “Child Marriage Hampers Education and Protection” was supported by Plan International Bangladesh, Save the Children, World Vision Bangladesh and Bangladesh Shishu Academy.
Elected child representatives from every district and 16 representatives from marginalised communities took part in the session and narrated how child marriage affected their lives.
Representatives from different districts complained that Union Parishad members often facilitate child marriages by providing parents with false birth certificates.
Hearing this, Fazle Rabbi Miah said many government posts to monitor marriage registration are empty and urged ministries concerned to fill up the vacant posts to increase monitoring.
He also recommended increasing the budgetary allocation for stipend programmes for schoolgirls.