Seasonal marriage

Marriage is a social bond of human being, a social recognition of living together in family life for a man and a woman. There are no especial rules and regulations for particular timing of marriage ceremony in any society or country. But what may be called seasonal marriage became a tradition at Char Kukri Mukri under Charfashion upazila in Bhola district, a remote island in the country.

The "seasonal marriage" in the society of remote coastal area Char Kukri Mukri is usually performed when the people from the mainland go to the area for fishing during rainy season and harvesting season in winter to earn money. Nobody can say exactly when seasonal marriage in the locality began though it has become a tradition in the society of coastal area of Char Kukri Mukri, where culture and modern civilisation are quite absent.

Around 15,000 people live in this island situated in the southern part of the country. Fishing is the main profession of the inhabitants of the island. Poverty and illiteracy are the main problems of the islanders. Besides, natural disaster and undeveloped communication system are the other impediments to promoting their life style. Most of the people of the locality have no knowledge of family planning and health-care. Nor are they are not also aware of sanitation and education. There is no infrastructure of health and communication and the government's initiative for health-care is absent.

The guardians of the girls have to arrange marriage ceremony of their immature daughters in haste due to their miserable condition. The guardians think that early marriage of their daughters is their responsibility. So, they have no sleep when their daughters reach their early teens.