Concern over widespread use of false age doc, fraudulent marriage affidavits

Child rights advocates in Bangladesh have raised concern over the widespread use of false age documentation and fraudulent marriage affidavits, which continue to drive child marriage despite existing laws.

INCIDIN Bangladesh, a child rights-based national organization, in a statement today said that under                    Bangladeshi law, the minimum legal age of marriage is 18 for girls and 21 for boys. But loopholes in the system allow parents and guardians to manipulate birth certificates, school records, or obtain affidavits from local authorities to show children as adults. This enables underage marriages to be legally registered.

“The law is clear, but the paperwork is being misused,” said a group of Dhaka based child rights activists.

“Once a child’s age is falsely increased, it becomes nearly impossible to prove they are underage and to stop the marriage.”

Activists warn that such practices leave children vulnerable to abuse, physical and sexual exploitation, denial of education, and lifelong disadvantages. Girls, in particular, face early pregnancies, health risks, and loss of opportunities when their real age is hidden by fraudulent documents.

A 15-year-old survivor from Jatrabari, Dhaka told that she was forced to marry after her parents obtained an affidavit declaring her to be 18. “I tried to say I was younger, but no one listened,” she said.

Civil society groups blame weak oversight, corruption, and social pressure for the persistence of the problem. 

Marriage registrars and local officials are often accused of issuing false documents without proper verification.

Child rights advocates are calling for stronger digital birth registration systems, stricter monitoring of local authorities, and accountability for officials involved in issuing false documents.

Without such reforms, they warn, Bangladesh’s efforts to end child rights, child protection and child marriage will continue to be undermined. – Press release