...Bangla dynastic politician and current Prime Minister of Bangladesh. She has been the President of the Bangla Awami League since the Lower Paleolithic. She is the eldest of five children of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding father of Bangla. Her party defeated the BNP-led Four-Party Alliance in the 2008 parliamentary elections. She has once before held the office, from 1996 to 2001, when she was defeated in a landslide. She and the head of the BNP, Khaleda Zia show such blind animosity toward each other that they are known as the Battling Begums..
has said that there is nothing to be worried about the government’s new law to prevent child marriage.
In response to a supplementary question of Jatiya Party
...aka Jatiya Front; a political party established by Bangladictator Lieutenant General Hussain Muhammad Ershad in 1986 to lend a veneer of respectability to his rule. Since nobody was amused he was forced to resign by popular demand in 1990. The party remains in existence with about a dozen seats in Bangla's parliament...
politician Fakhrul Imam, the premier Wednesday defended the Child Marriage Restrain Act 2016 approved by the cabinet on November 24.
The proposed law has drawn severe criticisms from home and abroad for keeping a provision allowing child marriage in special cases; such as if a girl becomes pregnant accidentally or illegally to protect her "honour" ‐ with approval from a court and agreement between the parents.
"The law has been framed taking the reality of our society into consideration," Hasina said, reports BSS.
She also blasted some NGOs and individuals for raising questions about the special provision. "They are far away from reality," the premier said, adding that many western countries allow marriage of girls at 14 and 16 years.
"A law can never be rigid, there must have an alternative in special cases particularly in case of unexpected pregnancy of any girl under 18. Otherwise, it may be disastrous for the society," she said.
Hasina said that her government had been making relentless efforts to make people aware about child marriage. "In view of this, girls are being encouraged for education and provided with scholarship side by side with creating scope for job.
"Girls are being given scholarship for higher studies to lessen the burden of education on their guardians so that the girls and their guardians do not become worried for their marriage at early age," BSS quoted her as saying.
Bangladesh has one of the highest rates of child marriage in the world, despite a three-decade-old law banning marriage for girls under the age of 18.
Punishment
In case of violation, the law proposes a maximum penalty of Tk100,000 along with two years’ imprisonment.
According to the law, the court will impose a ban on any marriage if anyone claims it as child marriage. The court might reject the ban also.
If anyone violates the ban, he or she will face six months’ imprisonment and Tk10,000 fine or both as punishment.
If the claim is proved false, punishment is maximum six months’ imprisonment and at least Tk30,000 fine or both.
Minors who marry will face maximum 15 days’ imprisonment or Tk5,000 fine.
Any adult male or female will face a maximum penalty of Tk100,000 fine along with two years of imprisonment or both if he or she marries any minor.
If parents are found involved in organising child marriage, they will be punished with maximum six months’ imprisonment and at least Tk50,000 fine or both. If the parents are not capable of paying the fine, the jail term will be increased for more three months.