In the wake of a spike in the number of marriages between Bangladeshi men and Rohingya women, who have fled persecution in Myanmar, the government has issued a warning against registering such marriages.
In a notice issued on Wednesday, the law ministry asked marriage registrars in Cox’s Bazar and the Chittagong Hill Tracts districts of Bandarban, Rangamati and Khagrhachharhi to check National ID cards of the bride and groom to be confirmed about their nationalities.
The marriage registrar will face ‘tough action’ in case of any failure to follow the instruction, according to the order.
It says the instruction aims to put a cap on the ‘significantly’ rising trend of marriages between Bangladeshi men and Rohingya women.
More than 600,000 Rohingyas fleeing the latest wave of violence in Myanmar’s Rakhine State have joined another 400,000 refugees already sheltered in Cox’s Bazar and the three hilly districts of Bangladesh.
Many of the Rohingya refugees had reportedly been involved in criminal activities. Many had been caught with fake Bangladesh passports.
The media also reported recently many of the Rohingyas are trying to blend among the Bangladeshis through marriage or forging documents while some Bangladeshis are trying to make some money by ‘helping’ these Rohingyas.
Law Minister Anisul Huq earlier said if any Quazi or marriage registrar is found to have administered a marriage between a Bangladeshi and a Rohingya, he will face punitive measures.
