Bangladeshi lovers told to get married or face jail

DHAKA (AFP) - Two Bangladeshi lovers found themselves frogmarched down the aisle by police after pretending to be married when they checked into a hotel, a report said.

Acting on a tip-off, officers raided the hotel and arrested engineer Mominur Rahman Chouwdury and his university student girlfriend Shefali Khatun Shelley, the Independent daily said.

The pair, who were not engaged, were taken to a police station where the officer in charge called both their parents and told Chowdhury to marry Shelley or face a rape charge.

Chowdhury finally agreed and with the consent of both couples' parents the wedding was solemnised at Boalia police station in the northwest city of Rajshahi, 210 kilometres (131 miles) from the capital Dhaka, the report added.

Mixed-sex couples are expected to be married when checking into hotels in conservative Bangladesh.

The majority of couples in the Muslim-majority country have arranged marriages. Before marrying they are usually chaperoned by family members and spend little time alone together.