3 schoolgirls saved from early marriage

Three schoolgirls were saved from early marriage in Sirajganj Sadar upazila on Thursday and Friday night, thanks to timely intervention by the local administration.

They are 10th grader Nipa Khatun, daughter of Mojnu Rahman of Saydabad village, eighth grader Sumi Khatun, daughter of Shafiqul Islam of Bagbati village, and sixth grader Maya Akter, daughter of Mainul Haque of Ekdala village, in the upazila.

During the drive, the court also fined six people for arranging girl's marriage under legal age.

Being informed, a mobile court led by Sadar upazila Assistant Commissioner (AC Land) Mohammad Anisur Rahman went to Saydabad village on Friday night and saved Nipa from underage marriage.

The court also fined three people--marriage registrar Hazrat Ali, bride's father Mojnu and bridegroom Sirajul Islam-- Tk 10,000 each.

On Thursday night, the court raided Shafiqul's Bagbati village home and stopped his daughter Sumi's marriage with Anwar Hossain, son of Ishaque Ali, as she was below the legal age.

The court also realised Tk 10,000 fine from both Shafiqul and Ishaque.

The same court then went to Mainul's house at Ekdala village and foiled his underage daughter Maya's marriage with Kawsar Hossain, 25, son of Abdul Bari. 

“Whenever we hear about arrangement of any early marriage, we conduct mobile court drives and stop it instantly,” the AC land said, adding that, in many cases they are not informed.

With the recent incidents, they have so far managed to prevent a total of nine early marriage bids in Sadar upazila in the last one month, the AC land said.