Two men of different faiths claim fatherhood of one newborn in Barishal
A newborn has come into the arms of a woman. But two men have come forward claiming to be the child's father — one of them Hindu and the other Muslim.
The incident took place on Sunday morning (8 November) at Afir Memorial Hospital in Barishal city, creating a stir throughout the hospital.
It is learnt that a homemaker named Shanta gave birth at the private hospital. At the time of the delivery, a man named Subhas was beside her, claiming to be Shanta's husband.
But on Sunday morning, another man named Emdadul suddenly appeared beside Shanta and the newborn's bed in the hospital. He too claimed to be the father of the newborn child.
Emdad claimed that he married Shanta of Bukhainagar village in Charmonai union in 2021 after a love affair. After the marriage, Shanta converted and became a Muslim, he said. After the wedding, they lived in Dhaka. Three months ago, his wife came to her father's home, saying she would give birth there. At the time, he showed everyone present proof of his marriage and married life.
Meanwhile, as soon as the first husband arrived at the hospital, the second husband, Subhas, slipped away from the scene. His version of events could therefore not be known.
Shanta claimed that she had never married Emdad, and that Emdad was not the father of the newborn child either. But she gave no answer about the marriage certificate and proof shown by Emdad.
It is learnt that even after eloping and marrying Emdad, Shanta continued to visit her own home. In the meantime, in 2024, keeping her marriage a secret, Shanta fell in love with Subhas, a resident of Bakerganj upazila, and they too got married.
The second husband knew that Shanta had to stay in Dhaka for her job. But in fact she lived in Dhaka with her first husband, while visiting her father's home as an excuse to live with her second husband in Bakerganj.
Amid the stir in the hospital over the two men's claims of fatherhood, Shanta's two marriages have come to light, but no answer has yet come from her about the marriage certificate and proof shown by Emdad.
