Present times report:
Child rights activists in Bangladesh have raised serious concerns over the widespread use of falsified age documents and fraudulent marriage affidavits, which they say are undermining existing laws and accelerating child marriage.
The national child rights organization Incident Bangladesh in a statement today pointed out that, under Bangladeshi law, the minimum legal age of marriage is 18 for girls and 21 for boys. However, loopholes in the system allow parents and guardians to manipulate birth certificates, alter school records, or obtain affidavits from local authorities declaring children as adults. As a result, underage marriages are being legally registered.
“The law is clear, but documents are being misused,” said a group of Dhaka-based child rights advocates. “Once a child’s age is falsely increased, it becomes nearly impossible to prove they are underage and stop the marriage.”
Activists warn that such practices expose children to abuse, physical and sexual exploitation, denial of education, and lifelong disadvantages. Girls, in particular, face early pregnancies, health risks, and lost opportunities when their real age is concealed through falsified documents.
A 15-year-old girl from Jatrabari, Dhaka, shared that her parents forced her into marriage after producing an affidavit declaring her as 18. “I tried to say I was younger, but no one listened,” she said.
Civil society groups blame weak monitoring, corruption, and social pressure for perpetuating the problem. Marriage registrars and local officials are frequently accused of issuing fake documents without proper verification.
Child rights defenders have called for a stronger digital birth registration system, tighter oversight of local authorities, and accountability for officials involved in issuing fraudulent documents.
They cautioned that without such reforms, Bangladesh’s efforts to protect children’s rights and end child marriage will continue to be seriously undermined.
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