Apart from law enforcement, the government should initiate a massive public awareness campaign to stop child marriage, a discussion was told yesterday.

The speakers said the negative impacts of child marriage should be circulated widely, especially in rural areas.

State Minister for Women and Children Affairs Meher Afroze Chumki said the adolescents should know about the health, mental, and economic problems of child marriage.

At the discussion, the findings of a survey on child marriage, were shared. CARE Bangladesh organised it in the capital.

Salma Ali, executive director of Bangladesh National Women Lawyers Association, emphasised a social movement, while Steps Towards Development Executive Director Ranjan Karmaker said girls' access to education was the prime pre-requisite.

CARE Bangladesh conducted the survey at 13 villages of three upazilas in Sunamganj between August 2014 and December 2015. The researchers talked to around 1,200 children and people.

Findings showed that poverty, insecurity, social norms, religious beliefs, and dowry played key roles in marrying of girl children. In addition, limited access to transportation, geographical isolation, seasonal and environmental hazards are also responsible, the survey revealed.

For example, girls of Haor region face difficulties to go to schools during the monsoon (April to mid-August), when the Haors remain flooded.

In most cases, the government's initiatives focus on law enforcement, while it should develop infrastructure so that girls of remote areas can get an easy access to transport, security system, healthcare, livelihoods, and information to combat child marriage, the study recommended.

The country's 65 percent of girls get married before 18, according to the report.