Upazila administration in Dimla, Nilphamari, has halted the arranged marriage of a 14-year-old girl, a sixth-grade student. A day after stopping the wedding, the administration provided the girl financial support to ensure her education would not be interrupted for financial reasons.
Dimla Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md Imranuzzaman provided the financial assistance to the teenager on behalf of the upazila administration on Tuesday, August 25.
The incident took place Monday in Masterpara village, Nautara union, Dimla upazila. A pseudonym has been used for the father’s name to protect the identity of the teenager and her family.
Acting on reliable local intelligence, Dimla Upazila Assistant Commissioner (Land) and Executive Magistrate Rowshan Kabir went to the house with a police force. There, she found preparations under way for the marriage of the 14-year-old girl, with family members, relatives and local residents present. The girl is a sixth-grade student.
Rowshan Kabir explained to family members the harmful effects of child marriage, highlighting the physical and mental health risks of early marriage for the girl, the disruption to her education, and the negative impact on her future life.
The executive magistrate then ordered the wedding preparations halted under the Child Marriage Restraint Act, 2017. Complying with the order, the girl’s father admitted his mistake and called off the wedding preparations. He also signed an undertaking not to marry off his daughter before she turns 18. No financial penalty was imposed in this case.
After halting the child marriage, the upazila administration made it a priority to ensure the girl’s education would not be disrupted for financial reasons.
UNO Md Imranuzzaman said: “Child marriage doesn’t just take away a girl’s childhood — it also derails her education, dreams and future. We want this girl to continue her studies and build her own future. The upazila administration stands beside her.”
He added: “Preventing child marriage isn’t just about enforcing the law. It’s also our responsibility to ensure that children rescued from child marriage have an environment where they can continue their education.”
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report