Child marriage in Bangladesh

 

Child marriage is a social disease, which is not going away. Rather, in today's social media, in the age of internet, child marriage is being campaigned for. It is very sad.

A survey shows that sixty-eight percent of girls in the country are married before the age of eighteen, which is the third highest in the world.

History shows that child marriage was practiced in ancient Rome and ancient Greece. In these two civilizations, girls were married off at a minimum age of twelve. It was customary for the daughters of the ancient Israelites to be given in marriage from the time they reached puberty. But child marriage was not prevalent in ancient Egypt, Meso-American civilization, Babylonian civilization, ancient India, and even Manuscripts mentions that girls must wait three more years after puberty to be eligible for marriage. So how did this child marriage come about?

Going through the history, it can be seen that the practice of child marriage started here from the period of Islamic rule. There is no mention of the age of marriage in Islam.

However, child marriage was more prevalent among kings-maharajas, ministers-generals, noble families than poor families. The reason was the custom of dowry. As it took time to collect dowry in poor families, girls were married late.

The first measures to prevent child marriage in the subcontinent were taken during the British period. However, even after two hundred years, nothing has been done.

One thing should be mentioned here that in the medieval or English period, child marriage was prevalent, only teenage girls or girls who had just started puberty were the victims. At that time, thirteen-seventeen-year-old girls were married to twenty-five-thirty-five-year-old men. There was a lack of education for girls during the British period. Child marriage of boys was not so prevalent. There is no doubt that most of the victims of child marriage are girls. But it goes without saying that a new type of child marriage has started.

In Bangladesh, child marriage is mainly given to girls in rural areas or in cities who are from low-class families. These girls lack education, and the educational qualification of the family is also very low. But nowadays, there is a trend or not, young boys and girls are being encouraged to marry at an early age.

No matter what different Islamic social media scholars or influencers say, they are presenting these child marriages in such a way that it is good for the world. Marrying at a young age will eliminate adultery, people will be interested in halal. According to them, many young boys and girls have already married at a young age, many of them are now viral celebrities overnight, many make fun of them, YouTube roasters have named them Nibba Nibbi. . But in my opinion, instead of making fun of them, we should promote why child marriage is scientifically and socially wrong.

First, the social reason should be mentioned. A man cannot get married just to fulfill his biological needs, marriage is a big responsibility. Even an adult man has to get the momentum to fulfill these responsibilities. To get married, one must be financially well off. A person has to work to earn his income. But if you work, when will you tie education. Then there is no way to leave school. That's why these boys and girls are leaving school. And marriage in this country means taking responsibility for children. Many of these internet viral couples have children already. But are they really mentally or physically ready for a child?

Just as there is a lot of talk about child marriage, a lot can be said about teen pregnancy or becoming a mother at a teenage age. Scientifically, there are two worst times to be a mother. Those who are less than twenty-one years old ie Early maternal age and those who are more than thirty-five years old ie Advanced maternal age. At this time various problems may occur such as 1) anemia or blood deficiency.

2) Child born with low weight

3) Premature birth of baby

Besides, the mother may die. The possibility of neonatal death also remains.

So much for medical science. In addition, mothers who give birth at a young age are more likely to have postpartum depression. Because at such a young age, people are not humanly ready to give birth.

Besides, the most important thing is the importance of education. Education teaches people many things. In life, one should never think of anything more important than education, building one's career. There is an age for everything in life. The period of childhood and adolescence comes only once in life. This is the time to learn, explore new things. And when the right time comes,  the marriage will take place.