Arranged marriage & the role of parents · Global Voices
Rezwan

A sarcastic post  of a vibrant Bangladeshi-Canadian girl:
If this daughter is not married to some Muslim guy (she is ‘permitted’ to bring a Pakistani guy *horror*) by next August, …she will apparently be seeing Mrs. Mother's dead face. If you want to save the life of a 40 something, attractive, slightly dramatic Bengali mother …apply now.
Applicant must be:
– virile
– a Bengali Muslim
– able to sign his name
– from a nice family who like to keep their woman on a leash.
People may laugh because of the comic elements of the post, but if you read in between the lines you will hear the wails of a free bird about to be caged.  How can she confront her mother who had sworn such thing?
She ends with:
Apply now and don't let forever bind you together. Please note that applicant is allowed a leave of absence of ‘eternity’ from married life starting the same day following a wedding band exchange ceremony.
Yes this is the tragedy of many arranged marriages when fixed arbitrarily by the South Asian parents.  When parents go looking for a spouse for their child they usually consider superficial criteria like religion, ethnicity, financial condition and even horoscope. In absence of pre-existing mutual attraction of the partners or even some sort of communication and understanding before reaching at the final decision to marry, is horrifying for a smart and educated individual.  And often they end up with a uncomfortable relationship they had never dreamt of. I hope Mrs. Mother reads her daughter's post.
Much have been discussed about arranged marriage here, here & here.