Child marriage is increasing day by day in Kuliyarchar upazila of Kishoreganj due to the violence of fake marriage Registrar Habib Ullah, who has been registering marriage with fake Valam in the area for a long time. As a result, the government is losing revenue and local people are being deceived.
Habib Ullah is the son of late Alim Uddin of Ali Nagar village in Faridpur union under Kuliyarchar upazila.
There are allegations that he has been carrying out misdeeds including registering child marriages, fake marriages and contracts in the area, with the help of some local miscreants.
In the last few years, Habib Ullah has registered more than 400 child marriages, which are all invalid. However, a marriage and divorce registrar (qazi) named Rafiqul Islam was appointed by the government, for registering marriages in the area.
Visiting the area it was learnt that Habib Ullah, who has been harbored by local influential people, registered child marriages and illegal marriages without heeding the law. As a result, the common people of the area are constantly being cheated by him. Although many in the area knew about it, no one dared to open his mouth for fear.
Meanwhile, on September 7, Rafiqul Islam, the local marriage and divorce registrar, lodged a written complaint with the Upazila Nibarhi Officer in this regard. After that Faridpur Union Parishad Chairman Shah-Alam was directed to submit an investigation report by Upazila Nirbahi Officer Rubaiyat Ferdousi. The report did not see the light for a month due to unknown reasons.
When tried to contact the accused Habib Ullah directly, sensing the presence of journalists fled away. Even, he did not receive any call, after repeated attempts to contact him on his cell phone.
Complainant Rafiqul Islam said, “The government appointed me as the Registrar of Marriages and Divorces in Faridpur Union in 2003. I have been working in this area ever since. Recently, a fraudster named Habib Ullah started registering various child marriages and illegal marriages with fake valam. I want a fair remedy for this and justice from the administration”.
Faridpur Union Parishad Chairman Shah-Alam said, “Rafiqul is the marriage and divorce registrar appointed by the government for our union.
Habib Ullah is not a valid marriage register and he brought valam from another place. I have been given the responsibility to report the investigation in this regard, which I will submit soon”.
When this correspondent went to talk to Kuliyarchar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Rubaiyat Ferdousi on the matter, she declined to comment on this matter.