She shows up at police station to stop her marriage
A schoolgirl in Chuadanga took matters into her hand and avoided being forcefully married off by going to the police.
The 16-year-old went to the Chuadanga Sadar Police Station around 12:00pm yesterday and requested the authorities to stop the marriage.
According to law, the minimum legal age for a girl to marry is 18.
Quoting the girl's written statement, Chuadanga Sadar Police Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mohammad Mohsin said the girl is a meritorious student in 10th grade of Chuadanga Jhinuk Secondary Girls' School.
Her father owns a tea stall and mother works in a factory producing puffed rice.
According to the written statement, the girl's mother and aunt were adamant that she should get married even after the teenager's repeated objections to the decision.
They also arranged a bridegroom for her.
Finding no other recourse, the girl finally went to the authorities, the OC said, adding that she was also encouraged by the fact that police had recently helped avert another child marriage in the same area.
The OC said the girl herself came to the police station yesterday seeing no way out.
OC Mohsin said a team of police went to the girl's house and explained the matter to her parents, after which they changed their minds and agreed to continue supporting the girl's education.
The correspondent could not communicate with the parents or the girl.
Rebecca Sultana, the principal of Chuadanga Jhinuk Secondary Girls' School, told The Daily Star that she was proud of the courage shown by the girl. She said she did not know about the marriage arrangements and the girl did not tell the school authorities anything about it.
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