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Bangladesh bans marriages for Rohingya refugees
DHAKA: Bangladesh said on Thursday it has barred official marriages between its nationals and Myanmar’s Muslim Rohingya refugees, whom it claims are attempting to wed to gain citizenship.
Law minister Syed Anisul Haque said he has ordered marriage registrars not to officiate any unions between Bangladeshi nationals and Rohingyas and also between Rohingyas themselves, thousands of whom have fled to Bangladesh.
He said Rohingyas try to use the resulting wedding certificate to gain Bangladeshi passports and other documents, while Rohingyas who marry Bangladeshis could automatically qualify for citizenship.
“By registering their marriage in Bangladesh they try to prove that they’re Bangladeshi citizens,” he said.
“We’ve told the marriage registers not to list any marriage of Rohingyas and also between a Rohingya and a Bangladeshi citizen in Bangladesh. “Law ministry spokesman Abdullah Al Shahin said marriage registrars have been warned of punitive action if they officiate any such marriages.
There are around 300,000 Rohingyas living in Bangladesh’s southern coastal districts bordering Myanmar who have fled alleged persecution in the Buddhist-majority nation since the 1990s.
Sectarian clashes flared up two years ago in Myanmar’s western Rakhine state, with fighting that has displaced about 140,000 people, mainly stateless Rohingya Muslims.
Bangladesh recognises only around 28,000 of the refugees in its country, who are entitled to food, basic housing and other aid provided by the United Nations.
The rest of the Rohingyas in Bangladesh live in slums set up in cleared forests and on beaches.
Published in Dawn, July 11th, 2014
Comments (18) Closed
Strange, not surprised however. Bangladesh does not want to take in fellow Muslims. They are only interested in exporting manpower. Rohingyas are after all expat Bangladeshis.
Burmese Muslims trying to enter Bangladesh... Bangladeshis trying to enter India... Afghani refugees in Pakistan... And Pakistanis are simply seeking asylum world over... Something's gone horribly wrong...
300,000 Rohingyas living in Bangladesh plus how many Pakistani refugees? What a shame that the secular Bangladeshi government is allowed to practice such laws and the Western Governments ignore these human rights violations.
I think the Muslim leaders, who still consider themselves Muslims, seriously need to read the Last Khutbba in which our Prophet (PBUH) had commanded us to give fair treatment to our Muslim brothers and not to distinguish them on the basis of their cast or creed. But if we look around we can clearly see that from Arabistan to almost every Muslim state in the world, the action are anything but what was commanded by the Prophet (PBUH). No surprise than this is the state of Muslim in the world!
@A.man First of all there are over 600000 illegal indian s in Bangladesh, But Unfortunately indian media is so patriotic that they show India as superior to everyone while Bangladesh an Pakistan pity India in reality...and its Indians who hop over all countries, I heard some of them come to mexico and illegally enter USA
@Kala Ingrez These Rohingyas live in Bangladesh but they are not loyal to us, They are associated with all illegal things which vastly affects Bangladesh and India's National Security...
@A.man Hundred of thousands of Bengalis are also in Pakistan, working in Karachi fisheries. Once authorities decided to crack down on illegal bengalis and the fisheries work came to a halt.
Ironically prime minister hasina son married to a Jewish girl and her daughter putul married to a bBritish white.
Thousands of Bangladeshis cross into India illegally to seek jobs that is O.K.but dont want to accept few thousand Rohangiyas as refugees, it is very shameful.
Heartless!! Similar to ME countries, where you can be a natural born still no rights. Thank you USA for giving me all the rights with dignity and tarting me like one of them.
well it seems to me that Bangladesh does not want to be a "Thekedar of Ummah" unlike Pakistan.
@South-Asian - your comment speaks for yourself - no reason for me to reply.
I know the Bangladeshis see them as illegals in their territory but this is like apartheid.
@South-Asian Iam sorry to inform you that India is today very developed country in Asia! ! ! ! So we dont need to beg or assylem seeking to poor countries as Pakisthan or Bangladesh. Today most of refugees in India are from Pakisthan & Bangladesh only. Why Saudi Arabia a muslim rich petrol country are not willing to accept these muslim brothers as human being cover? ? ? India is a Hindu country and also respect all religions people. So please stop commenting bad about India. We are very generous & human compare to others! ! ! ! ! Jai hind.
The situation in Arakan is very sad but Bangladesh is in no way responsible for the Rohingya crisis. Bangladesh can't afford to add new responsibilities and should not step into a problem that it can't reconcile.
@South-Asian Illegal indian immigrants in Bangladesh? Entering US illegally? Where did u dream it up? I am surprised that you are a literate.
Why are Saudi Arabia, Qatar and other Middle Eastern Countries not taking in these poor muslims from Burma ?
@Hindhusthani - what are you - a seriously deranged person making stupid comments about India. Forget about Bangladesh and Pakistan and stop talking nonsense, be honest and work towards making India a just and fair country