Digital Birth Certificates to Become Mandatory for Marriage Registration

The government is amending the 'Child Marriage Prohibition Act, 2017' to make digital birth certificates mandatory for marriage registration.

Women and Child Affairs Minister Abu Zafar Mohammad Zahid Hossain announced the initiative during a written reply to a parliamentary question from Comilla-4 MP Abul Hasnat in the Jatiya Sangsad on June 15. The minister stated that UNICEF and UNFPA are providing technical assistance to draft the new legal framework.

This amendment aims to close existing loopholes that permit child marriages under "special circumstances." By mandating verifiable online birth records over traditional paper certificates, the government intends to stop the widespread practice of forging documents to hide the true ages of underage brides and grooms.

The minister also noted a significant enforcement challenge: many marriages are conducted under religious customs without formal legal registration, making it difficult to monitor violations on the ground. He emphasized that completely eradicating child marriage will require a coordinated effort between law enforcement, local administration, lawmakers, and local government representatives.