Pandemic Puts More Bangladeshi Girls at Risk of Child Marriage

Child marriages have risen dramatically in Bangladesh due to the effect of the coronavirus epidemic on the socio-economic condition.

Rights organizations have documented an increase in the number of child marriages taking place in areas of Bangladesh.

They were concerned that the situation will go out of control as the administration's efforts to prevent child marriages have ebbed.

At least 13 percent of respondents involved in a study commissioned by the BRAC Social Justice and Diversity Division stated that child marriages are taking place in their regions. Of the 557 interviewees in 11 counties, 72 claimed they observed 73 marriages of children during a pandemic.

Nearly 85 percent of marriages took place as parents were worried about the prospects of their children, while 71 percent are related to school closures. 

Returnees from abroad during the virus epidemic topped the list of grooms preferred by 62 percent of the families marrying their children off.

The low income of the parents or guardians unable to run their families is responsible for 61 percent of the marriages.

"Some of the parents believe that the persistent coronavirus epidemic will increase economic uncertainty, leaving them unable to feed their children," said the survey report.

Guardians marriage off their children taking advantage of the crisis at a period when the government is powerless to curb it, the report said.

According to Plan International, 40 child marriages took place in Kurigram in February, 29 in March, 19 in April and 33 in May.

Child marriages are that against the overall number of marriages as the coronavirus epidemic progresses, according to Plan International, a development and humanitarian agency.

At least 8 percent of the overall marriages in February and March in Kurigram were child marriages, though 9 percent in April and 11 percent in May.

According to the report, 14 child marriages were prevented in February, 10 in March, 3 in April and 2 in May.

Also, there has been a gradual rise in the number of unregistered marriages -- 8 percent in February, 9 percent in March, 10 percent in April and 11 percent in May, as both the government and private initiatives to prevent unregistered and underage marriages have decreased, the report said.

"The system for tracking infant marriages has already fallen apart. The Anti-Child Marriage Committee in Kurigram has arranged no meetings in the last three months, "said Nazrul Islam Chowdhury, program manager of Plan International.

Although they could not visit from door to door during the coronavirus epidemic, they have received many complaints of child marriages over their hotline, said Khushi Kabir, coordinator of Nijera Kori, a rights organisation.

“Parents need to pay a less amount of dowry and can wipe their hands off the responsibility once they marry off their underaged daughters. This is why the child marriages take place,” she said.

In times of pandemic, parents are marrying off their children secretly without inviting friends and relatives to the events, she said.

Administration workers, marriage registrars and school students and teachers needed to provide reports on child marriages and promote the avoidance of child marriages. That's now going down, Khushi Kabir said.

The rights activist urged the government to speed up efforts to launch an awareness campaign against child marriage.

More parents are marrying off their children as the schools are closed now, said Maleka Banu, general secretary of Bangladesh Mohila Parishad, an NGO that promotes women’s rights

"The government need not end the scholarship for girls in the current situation; there should also be an online class allowance in rural areas," she added.

Bangladesh Mohila Parishad stopped eight child marriages in separate districts during the coronavirus outbreak with the assistance of local authorities, she said.

“The government should run a campaign to create awareness against child marriage. It will have an adverse effect on national development if child marriages increase in Bangladesh."

State Minister for Women and Children Affair Fazilatun Nessa Indira did not respond to the call scheduled for Thursday by media for comments. Kazi Rowshan Akhter, the secretary of the same ministry, did not respond to the request.