The members of European Parliament (MEPs) have condemned newly adopted Child Marriage Restraint Act of Bangladesh

In a press statement on Thursday, the MEPs voiced concern that the child marriage act has loopholes providing for “legal authorisation for child marriage” in Bangladesh. The country has already the highest rate of child marriage in Asia.

New law must outlaw all marriages involving children, the MEPs added.

They also said, "The act allows exceptions to the minimum age of marriage of 18 for women and 21 for men to be made in “the best interests” of the adolescent in “special cases” but fails to lay down criteria or to make the adolescent’s consent mandatory.

"Parliament reaffirms its condemnation of all cases of forced and child marriage and calls on the government of Bangladesh to amend the Act so as to close the loopholes and outlaw all marriages involving children."

The parliament expressed its worries saying the initiative is the “step backwards for Bangladesh in its efforts to eliminate child marriage”.

It finally urged the Bangladesh government to commit to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, including ensuring gender equality and women’s rights.