DHAKA, Aug 20, 2022 (BSS) - State Minister for Women and Children Affairs Fazilatun Nessa Indira today received over 10 lakh public signatures to prevent child marriage, from people of various classes and professions, media workers, civil society, NGOs and donors.

"When women will marry - whom they will marry, when they will get pregnant - these are all decisions of the woman and it is her right to make these decisions," Indira said.

She was speaking at the chief guest at a programme of signature collection programme at a local hotel.

USAID Deputy Director Miranda Beckman, USAID Mission Director Kathryn Stevens, Selima Ahmad, MP, and Director General, Directorate of Women Affairs Farida Parveen, were present among others.

"But currently women are deprived of these rights in many parts of the country", she said, adding, "The real development of the country is not possible without women."

"Child marriage was a social problem but today under the leadership of the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh has become a role model in the world for women's development and women's empowerment," she said.

 At the 75th session of the United Nations, the Prime Minister pledged to increase the employment of women in the workplace fifty-fifty by 2041 worldwide.

The Prime Minister also announced that the rate of child marriage will be brought to zero by 2041. The Ministry of Women and Child Affairs is working to implement this promise of the Prime Minister, Indira said.