Speakers in a function on Wednesday underscored the need for preventing early marriage anyhow to protect the children from malnutrition and reduce their mortality rate. “Social awareness and motivation is very important and essential for sustainable prevention of early marriage and child pregnancy in a bid to build a happy and prosperous country,” they said.

They came up with the comments while addressing a discussion on prevention of early marriage at Poura Shaheed Minar premises of the town here this noon. SKS Foundation, a reputed local NGO, arranged the function under its Reducing Harmful Traditional Practices project-second circle in cooperation with VSO-Bangladesh.

Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Alamgir Kabir Saikat addressed the function as the chief guest on behalf of Deputy Commissioner Abdul Matin and Deputy Director of Department of Youth Development Tofayel Ahmed Khan spoke at the event as special guest. With mayor of Gaibandha Municipality Advocate Shah Masud Zahangir Kabir Milon in the chair, the function was addressed, among others, by Assistant Director of SKS Foundation Khandakar Zahid Sarwar, Deputy Programme Manager- youth of VSO Bangladesh Tazeen Hossain and Project Manager Lovely Khatun.

The speakers said child and early marriage is a curse and it has a bad impact on the growth of population and women’s health and it may be the cause of untimely death of women.

Only the government or any single organisation can not capable to check the child marriage until all the stakeholders like officials, community leaders, teachers, public representatives, social workers, NGO activists and journalists come forward with positive attitude in this regard, they added.