4. Every marriage between persons, one or both of whom is or are a Christian or Christians, shall be solemnized in accordance with the provisions of the next following section; and any such marriage solemnized otherwise than in accordance with such provisions shall be void.
Persons by whom marriages may be solemnized
5. Marriages may be solemnized in Bangladesh-
(1) by any person who has received episcopal ordination, provided that the marriage be solemnized according to the rules, rites, ceremonies and customs of the Church of which he is a Minister;
(2) by any clergyman of the Church of Scotland, provided that such marriage be solemnized according to the rules, rites, ceremonies and customs of the Church of Scotland;
(3) by any Minister of Religion licensed under this Act to solemnized marriages;
(4) by, or in the presence of, a Marriage Registrar appointed under this Act;
(5) by any person licensed under this Act to grant certificates of marriage between Native Christians.
Grant and revocation of licenses to solemnize marriage
6. The Government, 2[* * *] may, by notification in the official Gazette, grant licenses to Ministers of Religion to solemnize marriages within such territories and State, respectively, and may, by a like notification, revoke such licenses.
Marriage Registrars
7. The Government may appoint one or more Christians, either by name or as holding any office for the time being, to be the Marriage Registrar or Marriage Registrars for any district subject to its administration.
Senior Marriage Registrar
Where there are more marriage Registrars than one in any district, the Government shall appoint one of them to be the senior marriage Registrar.
Magistrate when to be Marriage Registrar
When there is only one Marriage Registrar in a district, and such Registrar is absent from such district, or ill, or when his office is temporarily vacant, the Magistrate of the district shall act as, and be, Marriage Registrar thereof during such absence, illness or temporary vacancy.
Licensing of persons to grant certificates of marriage between Native Christians
9. The Government 3[* * *] may grant a license to any Christian, either by name or as holding any office for the time being, authorizing him to grant certificate of marriage between Native Christians.
(4) by, or in the presence of, a Marriage Registrar appointed under this Act;
(5) by any person licensed under this Act to grant certificates of marriage between Native Christians.
1
Throughout this Act, except otherwise provided, the words "Bangladesh" and "Government" were substituted, for the words "Pakistan" and "Provincial Government" or "Central Government" respectively by section 3 and 2nd Schedule of the Bangladesh Laws (Revision And Declaration) Act, 1973 (Act No. VIII of 1973).
2
The words and commas "so far as regards the territories under its administration, and the Central Government, so far as regards any Acceding State" were omitted by section 3 and 2nd Schedule of the Bangladesh Laws (Revision And Declaration) Act, 1973 (Act No. VIII of 1973)
3
The words "or so far as regards any Acceding State the Central Government" were omitted by section 3 and Second Schedule of the Bangladeshi Laws (Revision and Declaration) Act, 1973 (Act No. VIII of 1973)
