Girl saved from early marriage

A schoolgirl was saved from underage marriage in Phulbari upazila of Dinajpur yesterday.

The girl, Kulsum Akhter, 13, daughter of Mozafar Hossain of Kanahardangapara village in the upazila, is a Class VIII student of GM Pilot High School.

The marriage was schedule to be held yesterday.

Being informed, Mohsin Mridha, assistant commissioner of land in the upazila, went to her house at around 12:00 noon and foiled the marriage. He also asked Md Shakhawat Hossain, the local marriage registrar, to look after the girl.

Rekha Begum, mother of the girl, said she wanted to marry-off her daughter early because her husband has been suffering from many diseases. "I spent a lot of money for that," she said, adding that she would not marry-off her daughter until she was an adult. 

 The groom was supposed to arrive there after 3:00pm, but the family members of the girl told them not to come. They refused to disclose details of the groom.