Scrap provision for making it 16 under special circumstances

The proposed special provision in the child marriage restraint act to keep 16 as the marriageable age for females under special circumstances would be tantamount to "child killing", said women's rights activists yesterday.

They said through such a condition the state itself is encouraging "marital rape".

The rights activists were addressing a press conference on "Cancellation of Special Provision in Section-16 of Child Marriage Restraint Act-2014 and Keeping Minimum Marriageable Age for Female Child 18 Unconditionally" organised by Samajik Protirodh Committee, a platform of 68 NGOs, at Jatiya Press Club in the capital.

The law ministry recently vetted and returned, to the women and children affairs ministry, the draft of the child marriage restraint act which has a special provision stating that under special circumstances, marriage of a 16-year-old girl to a man above the age of 21, with permission from either parents or courts, would not be considered as child marriage.  

Zakia K Hassan, president of Women for Women, said, "We personally and collectively believe that enacting it will be tantamount to child killing."

Advocate Salma Ali, executive director of Bangladesh National Women Lawyers' Association, questioned the necessity of lowering the minimum marriageable age to 16 and said a female, with rare exceptions, is not fully mentally and physically prepared for marriage before 18.

Executive Director of Manusher  Jonno Foundation Shaheen Anam said the act goes against all policies of the government.

"How can the prime minister, who always talks about women empowerment, consider this?" she questioned.

Rasheda K Choudhury, director of Campaign for Popular Education, said the consequence of keeping marriageable age at 16 for females would be suicidal in the long run and dim all achievements of the government.

Ayesha Khanam, president of Bangladesh Mahila Parishad, said they would give a memorandum to the prime minister demanding cancellation of the special provision in the act.

"Our movement will continue until the demand is met," she added.