‘Child marriage situation worsening in Bangladesh’

Despite the increased presence of female students in schools, a recent research has found that the country’s child marriage scenario is worsening constantly.

“In 2022, 40.9 percent of the women aged 20 to 24 got married before 18. The ratio increased to 41.6 percent in 2023 and 8.2 percent of them were married before 15,” said Portfolio Manager of Inspire Advisory and Consulting Mohammad Adnan Rahman while addressing an event organised to share the findings of the recent survey, titled “Child Rights and Wellbeing Situation Analysis in Bangladesh 2024”, conducted in 11 districts.

Educo organised the programme on Wednesday (December 18) at a city hotel.

Adnan said that in comparison to 2022, the ratio of child marriage increased in 2023 and the initial data the researchers have showing that the number is increasing.

The data of 2024 was not included in the report as the research was conducted from September 15 to December 15.

In reply to a question, Adnan said according to the findings of their survey, the reasons behind the increase in child marriage remained almost same – poverty, lack of social safety, religious issue, uncontrolled device usage and climate issues.
“Due to unrestricted access to the mobile devices and internet facilities, early teenaged children have been found sexually active which provoked their parents to marry them off,” he said in reply to a query.

Addressing the event, Sina Chowdhury, Deputy Director of Popi, said that they are witnessing an increase in child marriage not only in remote rural areas, but also in urban and suburban areas.

Talking to Views Bangladesh, Fatima Halima Ahmad, coordinator of Satkhira-based NGO Uttaran, said, “Many parents are marrying off their children as an impact of climate change that brings poverty. Moreover, many parents find child marriage as a solution to the problem of finding the children sexually active at an early age. Out of fear of their reputation, a good number of families are also getting their male children married.”

Educo Bangladesh Manager (policy and advocacy) Halima Akter urged the government to establish separate directorate and the enactment of the sextual harassment prevention and remedy law for the wellbeing of the children.

Senior Secretary to the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs Mamtaz Ahmed said for a better future of the nation, children need to be placed ahead of any development activities.

Urging the NGOs and INGOs in the country to help government providing updated in-depth knowledge, she said, “It will help the government take timely measures.”

Director of Programmes at Educo Bangladesh Abdur Rahim and Director General (in-charge) of NGO Affairs Bureau Anwar Hossain, among others, also attended the programme.