Underage girl 'forced' to marry policeman

A policeman of Dinajpur Kotwali Police Station married an underage girl, who appeared at her SSC examinations this year, allegedly through coercion.

Earlier on Tuesday afternoon, Mostafa Kamal, a wireless operator of the police station, allegedly picked up the 16-year-old girl on way to tuition, confined her to a house in Fakirpara area of Dinajpur town, and beat her to make her agree to marry him.

Later Kamal dropped the girl at her home in the evening.

Seeing injury marks and hearing about the torture, her parents admitted her to Dinajpur General Hospital at 8:00pm on Tuesday.

Her father went to the police station to file a case but police officials created pressure on him to 'settle' the matter, asking him to marry off the daughter to the said policeman, said a relative of the victim girl.

Finding no option, the girl's parents lastly agreed, and the marriage was held against her will at a house of Khetripara area in Dinajpur town on Wednesday night amid secrecy.

"Kamal used to disturb my daughter on the way to and from school and tutors for the last one year," said the father.

Marufa Begum, general secretary of Bangladesh Mohila Parishad's Dinajpur chapter, said it is a serious offence to conduct the marriage of an underage girl, that too after coercion and torture.

ATM Kalequzzaman, officer in charge of Dinajpur Kotwali Police Station, said, "We did not play any role for the marriage. Rather the parents and relatives of the girl requested me to find out an amicable solution."

"The policeman has been withdrawn from duty over the alleged assault. Legal action will be taken if the parents file any case regarding the incident," he said.

Abdur Rahman, upazila nirbahi officer of Dinajpur Sadar, said, "Arranging marriage of an underage girl is an offence. It is still possible to take action against the wrongdoing."