President urges nationwide action to end child marriage

President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Monday called for coordinated action by the government, families and society to end child marriage, protect girls from violence and ensure equal access to education and opportunities.

“Child marriage is not just a marriage. It is the end of a childhood, a disruption of education and a waste of potential,” he said at a programme marking International and National Girl Child Day 2026 at Bangladesh Shishu Academy.

This year’s theme is “No More Child Marriage, Girls Will Conquer the World.” Fakhrul said girls must be safe on their way to school, inside educational institutions and online, including on social media.

He called for prompt investigations, effective trials and strict enforcement of the law in cases involving violence against women and children, rape and sexual harassment.

“There is no alternative to strictly implementing a zero-tolerance policy in this regard,” he said. He urged families and children to learn about the national helplines 109, 1098 and 999 so they could seek assistance quickly in emergencies.

A timely phone call, he said, could help protect a child’s life and childhood. Describing education as a fundamental right and safety as a collective responsibility, the president urged people to view girls as future leaders rather than burdens.

“Birth of a girl child is not a burden; it marks the beginning of unlimited possibilities,” he said.
Fakhrul warned that child marriage could expose girls to early motherhood, health risks, economic dependence and a greater risk of violence, while limiting their opportunities to develop their abilities.

He called for changes in attitudes at family, social and state levels, supported by sustained investment in girls’ welfare. Boys and girls, he said, should receive equal consideration when families discuss their ambitions and future careers.

“Alongside asking boys about their ambitions, we must also ask girls, ‘What do you want to become when you grow up?” he said, urging society to help girls fulfil their aspirations.

He also called for wider access to adolescent-friendly healthcare and mental health services in every upazila.

Identifying poverty as a major driver of child marriage, Fakhrul said improving families’ financial capacity was essential to protecting girls’ futures. He urged effective delivery of free education, stipends, nutritious school meals and social protection benefits to help girls from disadvantaged families remain in education.

Strengthening birth-registration verification, expanding higher-education opportunities for girls and extending social protection to vulnerable households were also necessary, he said.

Fakhrul highlighted Bangladesh’s initiatives to promote women’s development, tracing the institutional history to the establishment of the Department of Women’s Affairs in 1976 and the Ministry of Women’s Affairs in 1978 under the initiatives of late President Ziaur Rahman. The ministry was later renamed the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs.

He also credited initiatives introduced during former prime minister Khaleda Zia’s government, including compulsory primary education, food-for-education programmes and free education and stipends for girls up to the higher secondary level, with helping expand girls’ educational opportunities.

He said the current government was also implementing programmes to advance girls’ education, safety and economic empowerment. The benefits of these initiatives, he added, must reach girls in remote villages as well as those in urban areas.

Pointing to women’s achievements, Fakhrul mentioned mountaineer Nishat Mazumder’s ascent of Mount Everest and the national women’s football team’s international success. Women and girls, he said, had also demonstrated courage and leadership during the Liberation War, the country’s democratic movements and the July uprising.

He noted that women were establishing themselves in education, healthcare, technology, media, business and public administration.

“If books had been replaced with wedding sarees in these girls’ hands during their childhood, would we have witnessed their achievements today?” he asked.

The president said the slogan “Girls Will Conquer the World” represented Bangladesh’s potential rather than merely a poetic expression. Quoting National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, he said women and men had made complementary contributions to civilisation and human progress.

Fakhrul urged parents to give sons and daughters equal dignity and opportunities, teach boys to respect girls and value their opinions, and prioritise their daughters’ education and wellbeing.

“Before saving for marriage, invest in your daughter’s education and welfare,” he said, encouraging families to help girls gain skills, become self-reliant and shape their own futures.

Addressing girls directly, he urged them to know their rights, continue their education, develop skills and pursue ambitious goals. He also advised those facing injustice, abuse or harassment to speak to trusted parents, teachers or relevant authorities and seek help through appropriate helplines when necessary.

He called for political commitment, administrative efficiency, public participation and changes in social attitudes, highlighting the roles of religious leaders, teachers, marriage registrars, elected representatives and media professionals.

Fakhrul said Bangladesh should become a country where every girl could grow up safely, receive an education, acquire skills, become self-reliant and shape her own future.

“No more child marriage. No more discrimination. A girl’s dreams will not be stopped. Girls will move forward. Girls will conquer the world,” he said.

He called on all sections of society to work together to secure a healthy, safe, dignified and promising future for girls in Bangladesh and wished children at home and around the world safe, successful and fulfilling lives.