Narail Expatriate Father Warns Against Child Marriage Following Daughters Failed Union
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A Kuwait-based expatriate from Narail Sadar Upazila is warning parents against the dangers of child marriage after his own daughter’s education and well-being were compromised by an early union. His testimony highlights a persistent social crisis in a district where child marriage rates remain alarmingly high.
The man, who spent between 200,000 and 300,000 taka on his daughter’s wedding in December 2025, ended the marriage within a month. His daughter, who was in the eighth grade at the time, stopped attending school, leading to a divorce. Reflecting on the experience, he expressed deep regret, stating that his daughter lacked the maturity to manage a household and that he would not permit her to marry again until she reaches an appropriate age and level of maturity.
Data from the 2019 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey, conducted by UNICEF and the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, identified Narail as having the second-highest rate of child marriage in the country and the highest in the Khulna Division, at 71 percent. Despite these figures, local government offices and non-governmental organizations report a lack of updated, comprehensive survey data to track current trends accurately.
Local administration, assisted by the Department of Women Affairs, intervened to stop 33 child marriages between July 2025 and June 2026. However, field investigations suggest that these interventions are often only temporary solutions. In a recent review of 20 areas, it was discovered that 11 of the 33 girls whose weddings were officially halted were later married off in secret, with two of those cases already resulting in divorce.
Pritom Sardar, a coordinator for the NGO Sushilon, noted that girls from the seventh to tenth grades face the highest risk of child marriage. He added that the inability of young brides to shoulder domestic responsibilities often leads to marital strife and high rates of divorce.
Mousumi Rani Majumdar, Deputy Director (additional charge) of the District Women Affairs Department, acknowledged the challenges in monitoring such cases. She explained that resource constraints prevent the follow-up of families once a wedding is stopped. In many instances, families simply relocate to more remote areas to finalize the marriages, making it difficult for the administration to intervene effectively.
The motivations behind these marriages often include economic hardship, concerns over social security, a lack of focus on formal education, and parental anxiety regarding teenage romantic relationships.
Legal experts warn that the issue is further complicated by widespread manipulation of age documentation. Additional Public Prosecutor at the Narail District and Sessions Judge Court, Tarikuzzaman Litu, explained that some families resort to forging birth certificates, while others perform religious weddings that remain unregistered until the girl reaches the legal age. This practice often leaves victims without legal recourse if they face domestic abuse or divorce before the marriage is officially registered.
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