Writ seeks HC directive on blood test before marriage

A Supreme Court lawyer today filed a writ petition with the High Court seeking its directive on the government to take necessary steps for blood test of the brides and bridegrooms before their marriages in order to examine if they are thalassaemia affected and drug addicted.

Advocate Sayada Shahin Ara Laily submitted the petition as a public interest litigation praying to the HC to direct the authorities concerned to compel the brides and bridegrooms to submit their medical certificates of blood test to marriage registrars before the marriage. 

Citing from the petition, Laily’s lawyer Advocate Md Aklas Uddin Bhuiyan told The Daily Star that if the thalassaemia affected persons are married their children might be disabled, while addiction to drug causes impotency to the drug users.

Various divorces take place between couples over impotency which is caused by drug addiction, he said.

The lawyer also said the duties and responsibilities have been vested upon the respondents to save the lives of people.

Cabinet secretary, law secretary, senior secretary to the health ministry, director general of department of health services, director general of department of narcotics control and the inspector general of police have been made respondents to the rule sought by the petitioner in the petition.