RAJSHAHI, March 13, 2022 (BSS) - Collaborative efforts of all the

government and non-government organizations concerned has become crucial to
halt child marriage.

  Restriction of child marriage has also become the demand of time for the
sake of protecting maternal and neonatal health everywhere in the society.

  The views were expressed at a view-sharing meeting on preventing child
marriage by government officials, development activists and leaders of
influence at conference hall of Deputy Commissioner (DC) here today.

  Association for Community Development (ACD), a rights-based development
entity, organized the meeting under its project titled "Ending Child Marriage
through Adolescents Voice and Stakeholders Responsiveness" supported by
UNICEF.

  ACD Programme Manager Monirul Islam gave an overview of the project besides
illustrating on the child marriage situation in the region during his keynote
paper presentation.

  With Additional District Magistrate Sabiha Sultana in the chair, the
meeting was addressed, among others, by Upazila Chairmen Anil Kumar Sarker
and Layeb Uddin, Deputy Director of the Department of Social Service Hasina
Momtaz, District Education Officer Nasir Uddin and District Children Affairs
Officer Monzur Quader.

  The speakers unanimously viewed that all the government and non-government
organizations concerned and public representatives should come forward and
work together to combat child marriage and child pregnancy as it's the
precondition for improvement of child and maternal health.

   Sabiha Sultana said the present government under the dynamic and visionary
leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been implementing diversified
programmes to free the society from child marriage.

  Terming child marriage as gross violation of human rights she also said it
is vital to increase awareness regarding the negative impacts of child
marriage with the help of the mass media.

  She also said responsive support from the community, especially local
administration, public representatives, teachers, parents and influential
leaders, has become indispensable to ensure adolescent-friendly reproductive
health services for reducing child marriage and child pregnancy substantially
and sustainable.

  Ensuring equal rights on education, training, science and technology is
also important to women empowerment.

  Overall national development could be possible when the children coming
from the poor and underprivileged families will be educated and ensure all
other fundamental rights they deserve, she added.

  Physical and mental development of children could be possible when they
were protected from violence and deprivation.