4 jailed for arranging early marriage in Dinajpur

Four people have been jailed for arranging marriage of a 13-year-old schoolgirl in Khansama upazila while a two-member probe body has been formed to investigate marriages of two underage girls by managing forged birth certificates in Birampur upazila of the district.

A mobile court yesterday sentenced four people to different terms of imprisonment for arranging marriage of seventh grader Mahmuda Akter, daughter of Habibur Rahman of Uttarpara village in Khansama upazila. 

Of them, Habibur was jailed for 25 days, his brother Azizul Haque for 20 days, Dulal Rahman, father of bridegroom, for 25 days and his brother Obaidur Rahman for a month.

Locals said the minor girl was going to be married with Morshedur Rahman, 18, son of Dulal Rahman of Zamidarnagar village.

On information, Upazila Nirbahi Officer Sazebur Rahman, who led the court, rushed to the spot, foiled the marriage, arrested the four and later pronounced the verdict, said Krishna Chandra Sarker, officer-in-charge of Khansama Police Station.

In Birampur upazila, a two-member probe body, headed by Upazila Education Officer SM Zinnah, was formed to investigate two underage marriages held with forged birth certificates at Katla village on June 3.

The body, which was formed on Friday, was asked to submit the report within seven days, UNO SM Moniruzzaman Al Masud said, adding that action will be taken after getting the report.

Locals said marriages of two schoolgirls took place at the village on June 3. They are ninth grader Suraiya Begum, daughter of Monsur Ali, and fifth grader Sathi Begum, daughter of Saidur Rahman of the area.

 The parents arranged their marriages after having their birth certificates from the Katla Union Parishad (UP), which were forged. Newly elected UP Chairman Nazir Hossain said it happened mistakenly.