Prime Minister’s Adviser and Spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office Mahdi Amin on Monday said girls should never be forced to trade their childhood for marriage under family or social pressure, stressing that early marriage often creates more problems than it claims to solve.
He was speaking as the chief guest at the launch of BBC Media Action's "Child, Not Bride" (CNB) campaign, held at a city hotel to prevent child and forced marriage and promote girls' rights across Bangladesh.
"Children should never be deprived of their childhood. Girls, in particular, should not become victims of child marriage because of family pressure or social influences. Some families may believe child marriage solves a problem, but in reality, it creates many bigger problems," Mahdi said.
He said tackling child marriage requires first identifying its root causes. "If we want to prevent child marriage, we must first understand what is driving it. We need evidence-based policies that address the specific factors behind child marriage in different areas of the country."
The adviser also observed that a section of society still encourages child marriage without understanding its long-term consequences. "Many families believe they are doing the right thing, but in reality, they may be destroying a girl's future. Raising awareness about this issue is crucial."
Norwegian Ambassador to Bangladesh Håkon Arald Gulbrandsen, who attended the programme as a special guest, said child marriage cuts short girls' education, limits opportunities and perpetuates cycles of poverty.
He underlined the role of mainstream and social media in shaping public opinion, influencing social norms and supporting efforts to end the practice.
BBC Media Action's Country Director for Bangladesh and Regional Director for South-East Asia, Md Al Mamun, presented the campaign and its objectives, saying legal measures alone cannot eliminate child marriage.
He noted that in some cases a marriage is stopped only for the same girl to be married off elsewhere later, calling this the biggest challenge in addressing the issue's underlying causes.
Deputy Director (Programme) of Plan International Bangladesh Neelima Yasmeen shared field-level experiences and challenges related to child marriage in districts including Kurigram.
The launch event brought together government officials, diplomats, representatives of international development organisations, senior journalists and digital content creators, who also shared their experiences of reporting on child marriage and its impact on communities.
The campaign has been launched with support from Plan International and funding from the Norwegian State Broadcasting Corporation (NRK Telethon).
As part of the campaign, participants watched a series of awareness materials, including public service announcements (PSAs), songs and other advocacy content, a campaign song featuring Baul singer Aleya Begum and rapper Ali Hasan.