RANGPUR, Sept 27, 2023 (BSS)-Despite the two-year smack of the Covid-19 pandemic on the society followed by the crisis caused by the Ukraine-Russia War, three backward Mohollas of Rangpur City have been declared child marriage free.
 
Mayor of Rangpur City Corporation Mostafizar Rahman Mostafa declared these three Mohollas free from child marriage at a function at the Zilla Parishad Community Center here yesterday afternoon as chief guest.
 
In coordination with Rangpur City Corporation (RpCC), Rangpur Area Program of World Vision Bangladesh (WVB) conducted motivational activities with the slogan “I Can Resist Child Marriage” to turn the Mohollas into child marriage free, clean and healthy areas.
 
The three child marriage free Mohallas are: Telirvita Mistripara of Ward No-18, Honumantola of Ward No-23 and Pirpur of Ward No-27 of Rangpur city.
 
At the same time, three other Mohollas including Narosundor Para of Ward No-17, Honumantola of Ward No-23 and Patbari of Ward No-26 of the metropolis have been declared clean and healthy Mohollas.
 
The main objectives of the campaign are to assist the government initiatives to end violence, torture and repression against children, exploitation and trafficking of children and free the society from child marriage on the way to achieve the SDGs by 2030 next.
 
Earlier, Rangpur Area Program of WVB conducted massive motivational activities involving local children, adolescents, youths, members of Urban Neighborhood Development Committee, religious leaders and RpCC officials in the targeted Mohollas.
 
Senior Manager of Rangpur Area Coordination Office of WVB Anukul Chandra Barman presided over the function participated by City Councilors, Members of Shishu Forums and Jubo Forums, Urban Neighborhood Development Committee, Imams, Marriage Registers and media workers.
 
Deputy Director of the Department of Women Affairs (DWA) Most Seloara Begum, Chief Health Officer of RpCC Dr Kamruzzaman Ibne Taz, Deputy Civil Surgeon Dr Md Ruhul Amin and Officer-in-Charge of Kotwali Police Station Md Mahfuzur Rahman addressed the function as special guests.
 
The chief guest said, “Everyone should work with the aim of freeing the society from the curse of child marriage and bring up all children properly through ensuring education, health care and other basic needs as worthy citizens to build a developed Bangladesh.”