A child marriage victim of Dhubri, who has cleared the HSLC Examination 2019, conducted by Board of Secondary Education Assam (SEBA), wants to pursue higher study for becoming a teacher.
The 17-year-old child marriage victim, Najnin Khatun (name changed) hails from Jamduar Part II village under Chapar police station in Dhurbi district.
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She cleared the Class X board examination securing third division.
Khatun sat in the examination following the interference of the judicial authority with active support from the team members of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), Dhubri.
Sabina Begum, chairperson of CWC, Dhubri told Northeast Now on Tuesday that Narsina got married to a 42-year-old Majnu Ahmed, a father of three children, through an marriage agreement on August 10, 2018 at Bilasipara Sub-division court.
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Her father Abdul Hoque played a pivotal role in the marriage agreement without the consent of victim’s mother.
But Chapor police, on the basis of a complaint lodged by the first wife of Majnu Ahmed, had registered a case against Majnu Ahmed and Abdul Hoque.
The case (No 386/2018) was registered under different sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) read with section 9/10 of Prevention of Child Marriage Act, 2006.
The police arrested both Majnu Ahmed and Abdul Hoque.
The court later sent them to the jail.
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The Bilasipara court on September 26,2018 vide its order directed the CWC, Dhubri to counsel the victim child properly with follow-up action.
“And accordingly, a five-member team of Child Welfare Committee (CWC), Dhubri started providing proper counseling to the victim with the help of her mother Nurjah Begum. Due to continuous follow-up action by the CWC team, the victim has been able to clear the HSLC Examination 2019 in third division,” said the chairperson of CWC, Dhubri.
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Khatun, who is still passing days in fear, informed that she got admission in Higher Secondary first year at BM Junior College, Bilasipara.
She also said she wants to pursue higher studies to fulfil her dream of becoming a teacher and enlighten the society against social evils.
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Her story reflects how she has emerged from the shadows of child marriage to make a career for herself with support from the Child Welfare Society, Dhubri.
While talking to this correspondent, Ranjita Agarawal, advocate and a member of Child Welfare Committee (CWC), Dhubri said, “In our country, child marriage is illegal but despite that most of the rural and poor people still see a girl as a financial burden.”
Official sources of CWC, Dhubri said a total of 14 cases of child marriages have so far been reported in the district till July, 2018.