Mithapukur (Rangpur) correspondent: A student of class 8 has been on hunger strike for the last 3 days demanding marriage in Khamar Haripur of Durgapur Union of Rangpur’s Mithapukur Upazila. The upazila chairman held a meeting and tried to resolve the matter, but the girl is adamant about her demand for marriage.

This incident has created quite a sensation in the area. It is known that last 3 days ago, Sujan Mia (27), son of Rafiq Mia of Khamar Haripur village of the upazila, came to the house and demanded marriage. As Sujan is the brother-in-law of the girl, a close relationship developed between them. Socially, the love affair between them was beyond doubt. After the incident, the locals tried to convince the girl as Sujan had two children. But the girl insists on marriage and says that she has been in a relationship with Sujan for a long time. At one point, when the girl tried to commit suicide at that house, the locals admitted the girl to the Mithapukur Upazila Health Complex.

After treatment at the hospital, on the night of September 28 Mithapukur upazila chairman Zakir Hossain Sarkar held a courtyard meeting with the parents of both parties at his home to settle the matter. In the meeting, the teenage girl told the upazila chairman to marry Sujan at any cost. After the discussion, the teenage girl was told to go back home with her father. But the teenage girl did not go with her father and stayed at Sujan’s house demanding remarriage. The girl is still in the boy’s house.

On the day of the meeting with the guardians of both parties at the upazila chairman’s house, the upazila chairman and his men were accused of beating up a local journalist and taking away his mobile phone. There has been a negative reaction in the local political circles. Many people have expressed their anger about the handling of women’s violence in the upazila chairman’s house and his intervention.

Many people think that whether the teenage girl was bribed at the upazila chairman’s house or not, the matter will be clear only after seeing the CCTV footage there. Meanwhile, three days have passed since the incident has not been resolved, and the locals are feeling uneasy. Many who did not wish to be named said, “We are very worried about the school-going girl.” Something may have happened to the girl that cannot be disclosed socially, and the girl is also unable to disclose just talking about marriage. People are coming to our village from different areas. The girl is lying sick at her son’s house due to no solution from either side. Can’t tell when. When the accused went to Sujan’s house, it was not possible to take anyone’s statement as the gate of the house was locked. However, one of their uncles outside the house said that efforts are being made to resolve the issue.

Upazila Chairman Zakir Hossain Sarkar said, “She is a minor girl, not of marriageable age, so I sent her with her father.” He said that there was no incident of assault on the journalist.

Officer-in-charge (OC) of Mithapukur police station, Mostafizar Rahman, said, “I have heard the matter.” No one complained about this. Action will be taken if complaints are received.

The teenage girl is still on hunger strike at her son’s house demanding marriage on the fourth day till the writing of the report.