Mohammad Rana Mondal, a 16-year-old boy from Kushtia has married four times in the last one and a half years. He allegedly made fake birth certificates, lying about his age to get married.
Rana lives in Fulbaria village in Mirpur upazila.
Locals told The Dhaka Tribune that he made fake birth certificates to get married. Rana has already been divorced by three of his wives.
In January 2017, Rana married a girl from a neighbouring village. However, his marriage did not last even a month. He divorced his first wife, and tied the knot with another girl a month later; that marriage also did not last more than a month.
Following the second divorce, Rana married a girl from Khalishakundi in Daulatpur upazila. His third marriage also ended in divorce shortly after.
The young boy broke the Child Marriage Restraint Act of Bangladesh three times already by July, 2018. Yet, nothing could stop him from getting married for the fourth time.
His latest wedding ceremony took place on July 20 when he married an underage schoolgirl, Moushumi, of Bheramara upazila.
Rana’s father, Rashedul Islam admitted his son’s crime and told The Dhaka Tribune: “I have two sons and a daughter, my daughter is now 11 and my son, Rana, is 8-9 years older than her.”
Ali Asmat Bhasa, local Awami League leader said: “What Rana did is completely illegal, and we had warned Rana’s father repeatedly. We also organized adjudication several times.”
Fulbaria Union Parishad chairman, Haji Abdus Salam said: “I have been trying to stop child marriage in my area ever since I became the chairman of this Union Parishad.
“It is possible that Rana and his family collected the fake birth certificates during the previous chairman’s term.”
An investigation is going on, and if Rana is found guilty-- strict action will be taken against him and those who aided him.
