Women in Bangladesh are no longer required to declare if they are virgins on marriage registration forms, the country’s top court has ruled.
In the Muslim-majority country, a bride had to state if they were divorced, a widow or “kumari”, a Bengali word meaning “virgin”, on their marriage deed, or “Kabinnama”.
The high court ordered that “virgin” be replaced with “unmarried”. The other two options on the form – “widow” and “divorced” – remain unchanged.
Women’s rights groups – who had argued the word “virgin” was humiliating – welcomed Sunday’s verdict.
Separately, the court said grooms now also must declare their marital status.
Marriage laws in the Muslim-majority Bangladesh have been criticised by women’s rights groups as restrictive and discriminatory.
Marriage laws in the Muslim-majority Bangladesh have been criticised by women’s rights groups as restrictive and discriminatory.
Many girls in the country are forced into arranged marriages at a very young age.
ATA 