Shariatpur: Elected public representatives are expected to uphold the spirit of the rule of law, but an underage girl has fallen victim to child marriage at Telipara village in Naria upazila in their presence, reports UNB.
Local people said Kanta Akhter, a Class-X student of Telipara High School and daughter of Italy expatriate Abdul Kuddus of Telipara village, was married off to Ripon Hawladar, son of Sattar Hawladar of Uttar Mahisha in Bhedarganj upazila of the district, on Sunday.
Chairman of Chamta union parishad Gias Uddin along with its members attended the marriage ceremony, raising eyebrows of the conscious fellow-villagers.
According to the locals, Kuddus arranged the wedding ceremony after receiving a fake birth certificate managing the local UP chairman although the girl is only sixteen and half.
Informed, the local administration asked the UP chairman to suspend the marriage ceremony until an officer reached the spot.
Later, upazila women affairs officer Razia Khanam went to the spot around 4 pm. However, she came back after the UP chairman certified that the girl has already come of age.
The marriage was finally solemnised around 5 pm.
Razia Khanam said she came back after the UP chairman assured her that the birth certificate reflected the girl’s real age.
According to Kanta’s school registration, her date of birth is March 1, 2000, said Abul Bashar, headmaster of Telipara High School. “So, she is now only sixteen and half,” he said.
However, UP chairman Gias provided the birth certificate showing Kanta’s age 18, said Palash Ahmed, a member from ward 2 of the union.
Contacted, UP chairman Gias Uddin said, “We provided the birth certificate following an appeal by the bride’s father. However, I don’ t know whether she studies in school.”
As per the Child Marriage Restraint Act, 1929, the minimum marriageable age of girls is 18.