DHAKA: At least 66 percent out of total children of Bangladesh get married before reaching at the age of 18 meaning that 2 of 3 marriages of the country falls under child marriage.

Of the children, 48 percent get married before reaching at adolescence while 5 percent are married between the ages of 10 to 14 years and 12 out 100 girls die when they give births babies at the first time.

These shocking data was revealed in a booklet published by private development organization Rupantar at a program on impact of child marriage at the Canadian High Commission in the city on Thursday.
 
Referring to the UNFP data, speakers said Bangladesh is in the third place among the 30 countries which have the higher child marriage rate   after Nigeria and Chad.

The program was arranged on the occasion of International Day of the Girl Child-2014, which was followed by staging a short drama on rising awareness on child marriage and a cultural function.

Canadian High Commission in Dhaka Heather Cruden delivered the inaugural speeches while Rupantar executive director spoke at the function.

BDST: 0310 HRS, OCT 17, 2014