By Ritu Rabidas from Manikganj
With the slogan “Stop Ragging and Bullying—Build Women-Friendly Institutions,” a day-long workshop on preventing child marriage and violence against women and children was held at Khan Bahadur Awlad Hossain Khan High School auditorium in Manikganj town.
The event was presided over by the school’s Head Teacher, Abdul Majid Mollah, and conducted by Md. Nazrul Islam, Project Officer at BARCIK. Md. Bazlur Rahman, Secretary of Manikganj Municipality, attended as the chief guest.
Teachers Srabonti Biswas, Md. Omar Faruk, Mizanur Rahman, Md. Salauddin, Md. Russel Mia, Md. Nurul Islam, and Rasheda Akhter, Project Coordinator of BARCIK, also participated in the discussion.
Speakers of the event said that despite progress, child marriage and gender-based violence remain major social problems. As teachers and responsible citizens, they said, “We cannot ignore these issues. We must follow government regulations and raise awareness continuously. We will say ‘no’ to child marriage and take a stand against bullying.”
Municipal Secretary Bazlur Rahman discussed various municipal services and urged teachers to take proactive roles in preventing child marriage and harassment. He advised them to engage with the parents of students at risk of early marriage.
BARCIK’s Rasheda Akhter explained legal aspects of notarized and court marriages. In response, teachers noted that most parents are unaware of such legal details, and it is important to discuss these with them to prevent illegal and harmful practices.
The workshop concluded with a call to action urging everyone to speak out against all forms of violence toward women and children and to work together for a safer, more gender-sensitive society.
