Around 300 girl students of Bhangura BL Bari School and College vowed to resist early marriage and dowry at a meeting at the school on Wednesday.

Girls from Betuan, BL Bari and Koidanag villages attended the meeting arranged by Betuan Polli Samaj, a community organisation of BRAC, to generate awareness against early marriage.

The meeting was chaired by Nilufar Yeasmin, president of Betuan Polli Samaj.

"Most of the girl students do not complete their education due to early marriage, which takes place because of the parents' unawareness and poverty," said Md Saidul Islam, principal of BL Bari School and College.

As the practice could not be stopped in the area, Betuan Polli Shomaj started campaign in the school against early marriage, said Goutam Chandra Shing, coordinator of the programme.

Around 10 to 12 girl students drop out every year because of early marriage, but the continuous programme for creating awareness among the girl students reduced the number of early marriage.

Ashok Kumar Ghosh, chairman of Dilpashra Union Parishad, and Saidul Islam, principal of the institution, conducted the oath-taking programme.

"We will not get married before we are18 years old, and we will not stop our academic life before completing Higher Secondary Certificate," the students vowed.