Dhaka: The government has intensified efforts to eradicate child marriage through a coordinated, multi-ministerial approach as part of its renewed commitment to protect girls' rights and accelerate gender equality in Bangladesh.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, marking the International Day of the Girl Child, the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, in collaboration with the Department of Women Affairs and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), hosted a high-level inter-ministerial dialogue in Dhaka. The aim was to chart an accelerated national roadmap to end child marriage.
With 51 percent of Bangladeshi girls still married before 18, officials acknowledged that the current 2 percent annual decline is too slow and called for urgent, synchronized measures across all government sectors. UNFPA Representative in Bangladesh, Catherine Breen Kamkong, emphasized the need for a comprehensive approach, stating that a girl kept in school is still at risk if she lacks legal protection or life skills, highlighting the importance of a whole-of-government response.
Senior secretaries and officials from various ministries, including Education, Law and Justice, Information and Broadcasting, Health and Family Welfare, Social Welfare, and the Local Government Division, participated in the dialogue. They committed to translating policy commitments into practical, measurable outcomes.
Under the agreed plan, the Law Ministry will digitize the marriage registration system to curb falsification of age and reform the Child Marriage Restraint Act to close existing loopholes. The Education Ministry will strengthen school retention and introduce comprehensive life skills and health education, recognizing education as a critical tool against child marriage.
The Health Ministry will incorporate adolescent reproductive health services into the Universal Health Coverage framework to address high adolescent pregnancy rates and provide specialized care for married adolescents and young parents. Meanwhile, the Local Government Division will enforce universal birth and marriage registration, supported by performance-based funding to strengthen accountability at the grassroots level.
The Cabinet Division will integrate child marriage prevention into national development planning, assigning deputy commissioners to lead and monitor district-level implementation. Women and Children Affairs Senior Secretary Mamtaz Ahmed reiterated the government's dedication to ending child marriage through coordinated action.
The meeting concluded with an agreement to present consolidated action points at the upcoming National Child Marriage Prevention Committee meeting for endorsement. Earlier, participants visited a photo exhibition titled 'Shombhabonar Frame,' depicting the lives and dreams of Bangladeshi adolescent girls, underscoring the urgency of the cause.
Kamkong reiterated the collective will to act, expressing optimism that together, they can build a Bangladesh where every girl's childhood is protected, her choices respected, and her potential fully realized.