Tough law coming to deal with child marriage

The Cabinet on Monday approved in principle the draft of the ‘Child Marriage Prevention Bill 2014’ extending the punishment of both jail term and fine for three types of offences to control child marriage in the country. The approval was given at the regular weekly meeting of the Cabinet held at the Secretariat with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair. Briefing reporters after the meeting, Cabinet Secretary M Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan said the proposed law has been drafted in Bangla to make the existing law of 1929 more time-befitting one. The proposed law has a provision of maximum punishment of Tk 50,000 in fine and maximum two years’ jail term for three types of offences like the couple, those who would conduct child marriage and the guardians concerned. ‘A female offender will only face fine, not jail term.’ The law considers minors as below 21 years for male and below 18 years for female. The Cabinet Secretary said the Cabinet directed the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs to review the age bar provision for lowering it considering the tropical environment of the country and the reality. As per the Child Act, people aged up to 18 years, are considered children, according to UNB.