DHAKA, Sept 25, 2021 (BSS) - Jatiya Sangsad (JS) Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury today said the role of Members of Parliament (MPs) is very important to encourage the female education to prevent the child marriage in the country.

  She made the observation while virtually addressing a consultation workshop on prevention of child marriage and gender based violence and ensuring reproductive healthcare, organized by the Bangladesh Association of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (BAPPD) at Kaliganj Upazila in Gazipur, said a press release here.

  Dr Shirin said it is necessary to make a concerted effort to raise awareness regarding the female education to prevent child marriage, and implement and monitor all the activities of the BAPD at the grassroots level.

  Such kind of workshops can give an overview about the proper implementation of the steps taken by the government in this regard, she added.

  "We have made tremendous progress in every sector under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and she has been recently awarded the SDG Progress Award at (the ongoing) UN General Assembly," the speaker said.

  Noting that the incidence violence against women and child marriage has increased during the Covid-19 pandemic, she said the challenges like violence against women and child marriage should be tackled properly.

  Dr Shirin emphasized on making the parents of girl children aware about the government's steps to take the girls forward and said the parents should realize that the daughters are not burdens for them.

  Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Women and Children Affairs Ministry and Convener of the Subcommittee on Prevention of Child Marriage and Gender Based Violence Meher Afroze Chumki presided over the workshop while lawmakers Nazrul Islam Babu, Aroma Dutta, Sheuli Azad, Shabnam Jahan and Fakhrul Imam addressed the workshop as special guests.

  Secretary of the Parliament Secretariat KM Abdus Salam conducted the workshop while Project Director (joint secretary) MA Kamal Billah delivered welcome address in the event.