Local admin in Sirajganj stops early marriages of 7 schoolgirls in a day

Seven schoolgirls were saved from early marriage in Sirajganj's Belkuchi upazila yesterday, thanks to timely action by the local administration.

Two of the girls are sixth graders, one seventh grader, one eighth grader, one ninth grader, one tenth grader and one, a class XI student -- from different unions of the upazila, our Pabna correspondent reports quoting officials.

Being informed by locals, a mobile court raided the houses of the girls from yesterday noon to night as the family members arranged the marriages of the underaged girls, said Belkuchi Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md Anisur Rahman, who led the drive, today.

During the drive, the mobile court also fined parents of the girls and the grooms Tk 70,000 -- for arranging early marriages, the UNO said.