Since 1961, marriage laws in Bangladesh have forced women to state whether they are "innocents", "widows" or "divorced" in their marriage certificates. No corresponding requirement for men to state whether they are "innocents" has not existed.

But now the term should be deleted, following a decision by the Supreme Court in the country on Monday. Instead, a new choice is introduced: "Unmarried". The court has also decided that men should also report on their marital status, now with the same alternatives as women.

Submitted the request in 2014

The message from the court is welcomed by women's rights organizations in the country, which, since the term was introduced, have criticized it for violating integrity, discriminating and humiliating, Reuters writes. For five years, they have been fighting a legal battle to erase the word from the marriage certificate.

Ainun Nahar Siddiqua, one of the two attorneys who led the case, tells Reuters that the case began with the filing of a written request for amendment 2014.

"Gives faith in change"

"It is a judgment that gives us faith that we can fight and bring about more change for women in the future," says Ainun Nahar Siddiqua, according to the news agency.

According to TT, the new rules are expected to come into force in October.