3 girls spared burden of child marriage; 14 arrested
Bond was taken from the fathers of each of the brides that they would not give marriage of their daughters until they become adult.
Police in an anti-child marriage drive arrested fourteen people including a bridegroom, bride and ‘Kazi’ on Saturday on allegations of arranging child marriage.
Shibganj police arrested them conducting a night-long drive. Nannu Khan, police inspector (Operation) of Shibganj police station confirmed this on Saturday afternoon.
They were given punishment on various terms after they were produced before the mobile court following arrest of the 14 people.
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Shibganj police conducted anti-child marriage drive at Bihar, Jamgram, Kanupur, Dhawagir and Shonkorpur villages on Friday night.
Marriage ceremony of a 13-year old daughter of Chan Mia of village Dhawagir was being arranged. The girl went into hiding after police carried out drive there. At this time, police arrested three weeding party members including bridegroom Milon, 23, son of Mojnu Mia of Shonkorpor village, the girl’s father Chan Mia Kazi Kazi Abdul Aziz,35.
At the same time, police also conducted drive at a child marriage ceremony arranged at village Kanupur. The bridegroom managed to flee. However, five people including bridal party were arrested.
Nannu Khan said, “child marriage was arranged at various villages at the same time on Friday night despite continuation of anti-child marriage campaign”.
Meanwhile, Assistant Commissioner (Land) and Executive Magistrate M Anisur Rahman saved three girls from child marriage.
Mobile court sources informed that acting on a tip off, the court went to the house of bride Fatema Khatun, 16, daughter of A Malek Ratan of village Diar Pachil of Sirajganj sadar upazila while preparation was going on for marriage ceremony with Baijid Bostami, 21, a 3rd year political science student of a local college and son of A Bari of Kalibari Ghoshpara locality.
The mobile court stopped the child marriage and fined brides’ father A Malek Ratan five thousand taka.
The mobile court conducted another drive at Mulibari of the same area where eighth grader of local high school Nupur Khatun, 14, daughter of Noyon Sheikh of Hosainpur locality under municipal area where marriage was being arranged with Hira Mondol,32, son of Abdul Sheikh of municipal area. The mobile court fined five thousand taka each to bride’s father Noyon Sheikh and bridegroom Hira Mondol.
In another incident, preparation for marriage ceremony between Selim Hossain’s daughter and class three student Sony Khatun, 13, was going on with Monirul Islam, 25, son of Iman Ali of village Chorbonbaria at Shilonda Purbapara village of the same area. Later, the mobile court awarded 10-day imprisonment to bride’s father Selim Hossain.
Later, bond was taken from the fathers of each of the brides that they would not give marriage of their daughters until they become adult.
