Hindu Marriage Act in Bangladesh

Aiming to provide legal and social protection to Hindu women from marriage-related cheating, the Bangladesh Parliament has passed the Hindu marriage registration law.

Passed on September 18, the law, first of its kind, has kept the provision of marriage registration optional. The mover of the bill, Qamrul Islam, State Minister for Law, Justice and parliamentary Affairs, said the government framed the act in the absence of any such regulation.

The ‘Hindu Marriage Registration Bill-2012’ authorises government authorities to appoint a Hindu Marriage Registrar at every ward and upzilla across the country. The registrar will not register marriage of a woman below 18 years of age and a man under 21 years.