Consultation on preventing women repression held in Netrakona

Bashundhara Shuvosangho arranged a consultation with rural women to chart ways for preventing child marriage and violence against women in Gopalpur village, Sadar Unio, Barhatta upazila of Netrokona on Saturday.

Speakers called for raising awareness at the family and society as a way to prevent the two crises.

The event was presided over by Azizul Haque Faruk, president of the Bashundhara Shuvosangho Barhatta Upazila branch, while the branch's General Secretary Mokhlesur Rahman Hira moderated it.

Branch advisers Ferdous Ahmed Babul and Abul Khayer Akand Titu, Vice-Presidents Latibur Rahman Khan and Roknuzzaman, and Joint Secretary Piyush Kanti Gun addressed the meeting.

The speakers said child marriage hampers a girl's normal life, access to education and future prospects. Many girls face various physical, mental and social problems as a result of being married at an early age. Therefore, they said, preventing child marriage requires not only families but also local representatives, teachers, students and every responsible member of society to play an active role.

Sufia Akter shared her own experience, saying, "My father married me off when I was in ninth grade. Now I have a six-month-old child in my arms. I never went back to school after getting married. I did not understand the harmful consequences of child marriage before."

Popi shared a similar experience. She said, "My family arranged my marriage when I was young. At that time, I did not understand what marriage meant. Now I am running a household. We are poor people. If I had understood all these things earlier, I would not have gotten married."

Bashundhara Shuvosangho adviser Ferdous Ahmed Babul said, "There is no alternative to raising awareness to prevent child marriage and violence against women. The change must begin within the family. Parents need to make decisions after considering their children's future."

Regarding violence against women, adviser Abul Khayer Akand Titu said, "Many girls from poor families are married off at an early age. Financial hardship creates unrest in many households. As a result, quarrels and conflicts frequently arise between husbands and wives. Family awareness and social support are needed to overcome this situation."

Azizul Haque Faruk said, "If a girl is given the opportunity to study instead of being married off at an early age, she can build her own future. Therefore, alongside ensuring educational opportunities for girls, families and society must work together to prevent child marriage."

The local women were made aware of the harmful effects of child marriage, ways to prevent violence against women and the importance of girls' education at the courtyard meeting. The participants also called on everyone in families and society to come forward collectively to prevent child marriage.