‘Child, Not Bride’ campaign launched in city

The “Child, Not Bride” campaign, aimed at preventing child and forced marriage and promoting the safety and security of girls, was officially launched yesterday at a city hotel.

Early and forced marriage remains a significant challenge in Bangladesh, particularly in climate-vulnerable and economically disadvantaged districts. The campaign aims to change social attitudes and ensure girls have the right to make decisions about their lives.

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The campaign is implemented by BBC Media Action with funding from the Norwegian State Broadcasting Corporation’s Telethon and support from Plan International.

It was rolled out across Hello Check’s official Facebook, YouTube and TikTok platforms.

Attending the event as the chief guest, Mahdi Amin, adviser to the prime minister, said the rights of girls were among the government’s top priorities and a matter of strategic national importance.

“Girls should be in school, not getting married,” said Hakon Arald Gulbrandsen, Norwegian ambassador to Bangladesh.

“While child marriage is a serious issue, this campaign uses humour to engage and influence people. Child marriage remains a major challenge in Bangladesh and can have harmful consequences, particularly for girls’ health and education,” Gulbrandsen said.

Md Al-Mamun, country director of BBC Media Action, stressed the need for a multi-stakeholder approach to preventing child marriage.

Neelima Yasmin, deputy director of Plan International Bangladesh, shared field-level insights on child marriage from different districts.