A group of Islamists have called the government to ban the operation of non-government organisations (NGOs) and international NGOs working against child marriage.
The call came at a human chain, organised by the Olama League, known to be pro-Awami League, and 13 other like-minded bodies, in Dhaka on Monday (Jan 21).
Speakers, at the programme, claimed that the government, as well as the people of Bangladesh, have no headache on child marriage issues.
“On the other hand, the Western NGOs are showing their headache on the issues,” they said levelling these organisations “anti-Islam” and “anti-Muslim”.
They specifically made the allegation to several INGOs including Switzerland-based Terre des homes, UK-based Save the Children, and UNICEF, which are working across Bangladesh to prevent child marriage.
Speakers also demanded the Child Marriage Restraint Act 2017 be repelled and the people involving with these NGOs be hanged on the charge of demeaning Prophet Mohammad.
Muhammad, Prophet of Islam, had as many as 13 wives including Aisha who was married to him at the age of six.
On the ‘minority peoples’ rights protection law, speakers said, “The Constitution gives equal rights to all citizens.
“Formulating separate laws for the minority communities will be discriminatory and communal,” they claimed.
Once rampant, Bangladesh witnessed a decline in the overall child marriage rate in recent years but continued to be highest in the world.
A 2018 report by Dhaka-based Child Rights Advocacy Coalition says the rate of child marriage under the age of 15 declined from 62.8 percent in 2015 to 10.7 percent in 2017, while the rate of child marriages under the age of 18 years has gone down from 62.8 percent in 2015 to 59.7 percent % in 2016.