A Class IX student of Basail upazila in the district has prevented her early marriage with the help of local administration.

The girl, Kalpona Sheel, 14, daughter of Shuvash Chandra Sheel of Purbopara village in Basail municipal area and a Class IX student of Basail Pilot Girls' High School, took the bold step as she is determined to continue her study.

Her parents had arranged her marriage and all preparations were made to solemnise it yesterday.

Earlier, Kalpona told her parents that she will not marry before the age of eighteen. Her parents and other relatives, however, ignored her opinion and fixed the date for marriage.

But Kalpona remained resolute in her decision not to marry at such a tender age.

After appearing at the exams at school yesterday, she along with her two fellows went to the office of Basail Assistant Commissioner (AC-Land) Mohammad Nazmul Ahsan, informed the official of her parents' step for forced marriage and sought his help to prevent it.

The official called Kalpona's parents and asked them about the matter.

"At first Kalpona's parents claimed that her age is 18. Then I called Abul Kashem, headmaster of Basail Pilot Girls' High School, who informed me that she is bellow 15," said AC Nazmul Ahsan.

"As the parents told me about their poverty and inability to continue schooling of their daughter, I requested the headmaster to give Kalpona the opportunity to study at the institution for free and the headmaster agreed," he added.

The official fined Kalpona's father Tk 1,000, in default, to suffer seven days' imprisonment on charge of arranging the early marriage.

Kalpona's parents returned home with her, after giving undertaking that they will not arrange their daughter's marriage before she reaches the age of 18.

Kalpona said, "I understand the bad effects of early marriage and the legal bar about it. And so, I have decided to seek help of the government officer for preventing my marriage."