MJF expresses concern over minor stabbed by stalker on wedding day

Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF) expressed grave concern over the Badarganj, Rangpur incident where a ninth-grader, stabbed by a stalker on her wedding day on July 28, died yesterday. 

Tarmina Akter, 14, a madrasa student, was daughter of Toyab Ali of Lohanipara village in Rangpur's Badarganj.

MJF expressed deep concern over the rise in child marriage during the pandemic.

According to MJF, the family encouraged child marriage, even though they claimed that they arranged the wedding considering the girl's safety, as the stalker used to harass her.

The parents could not save the girl by arranging her marriage, without informing the local administration, mentioned MJF, in a press statement.

MJF believes that in order to prevent child marriage, various departments of the government should take more stringent measures at the local level. The number of child marriages is on the rise during the pandemic, due to the closure of schools, lack of safety of girls and financial instability of the parents. Parents are violating the law and secretly marrying off their underage girls, the statement read.

MJF has already sent a letter to the concerned ministry with the aim of creating awareness against violence against women and child marriage.

MJF executive director Shaheen Anam said, "No specific allocation has been made in the current fiscal year to implement the National Action Plan on Prevention of Child Marriage between 2018-30 and to provide social protection for the girl child and adolescent girls during the pandemic, even though, the government is committed to ending child marriage and forced marriage by 2030."

"Bangladesh is the fourth country in the world in terms of child marriage. We hope the government will come forward to implement the promise soon," she added.