Child Marriage in Bangladesh: Challenges and Prospects for Change

Ifrat Jahan

doi:doi:10.11648/j.scif.20250101.16

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Child Marriage in Bangladesh: Challenges and Prospects for Change

Ifrat Jahan^*

Published in Science Futures (Volume 1, Issue 1)

Received: 25 April 2025 Accepted: 13 May 2025 Published: 9 December 2025

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Abstract

Child marriage remains a significant social issue in Bangladesh, affecting millions of young girls and hindering their potential. Defined as a marriage where at least one party is below the age of 18, this practice disproportionately impacts girls, limiting their access to education, economic opportunities, and health services. Key drivers of child marriage include poverty, cultural norms, and inadequate enforcement of legal frameworks. Despite legislative measures like the Child Marriage Restraint Act (2017) and government initiatives such as the National Action Plan to End Child Marriage (2018–2030), challenges persist due to societal resistance, economic barriers, and gaps in implementation. This article explores the causes and consequences of child marriage, emphasizing its health, educational, and economic impacts on individuals and society. The paper also evaluates the effectiveness of existing interventions and highlights the need for community engagement, improved law enforcement, and economic support for vulnerable families. By addressing these issues, Bangladesh can progress toward achieving Sustainable Development Goal 5.3, which aims to eliminate harmful practices, including child marriage. The findings underscore the importance of multi-stakeholder collaboration and innovative solutions, such as conditional cash transfers and community-led awareness programs, in combating this deep-rooted practice.

Published in	Science Futures (Volume 1, Issue 1)
DOI	10.11648/j.scif.20250101.16
Page(s)	53-58
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2025. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Child Marriage, Bangladesh, Gender Inequality, Poverty, Education, Cultural Norms, Law Enforcement, Sustainable Development Goals

References

[1]	Ahmed, S., & Khan, M. (2020). "Challenges in Ending Child Marriage in South Asia: A Case Study of Bangladesh." Journal of Development Studies, 56(4), 678–695. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220388.2020.1777253
[2]	Sultana, A., & Begum, S. (2021). "Economic Vulnerabilities and Child Marriage in Rural Bangladesh: A Longitudinal Study." Asian Journal of Social Issues, 39(2), 123-145. https://doi.org/10.1108/AJSI-12-2020-0109
[3]	Zaman, H., & Rahman, M. (2022). "Impact of Education on Reducing Child Marriage in Bangladesh: A Rural Case Study." Education for Development, 45(3), 211-227. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.educon.2022.03.009
[4]	United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). (2021). "The Impact of Child Marriage on Girls and Society." Retrieved from https://www.unfpa.org
[5]	Chowdhury, R., & Jahan, F. (2023). "National Action Plan to End Child Marriage: Assessing Bangladesh’s Legal and Social Framework." Journal of Family Law and Policy, 12(1), 85-110. https://doi.org/10.1177/2334048X221108870
[6]	Lee, A., & Kabeer, N. (2021). "International Perspectives on Ending Child Marriage: Comparative Insights from Sri Lanka and Bangladesh." International Development Review, 33(4), 198-216. https://doi.org/10.1068/IDR2021.0043
[7]	UNICEF. (2022). "State of the World’s Children 2022." United Nations Children’s Fund. Retrieved from https://www.unicef.org
[8]	World Bank. (2020). "The Economic Costs of Child Marriage in Bangladesh." World Bank Report. Retrieved from https://www.worldbank.org
[9]	Government of Bangladesh. (2017). Child Marriage Restraint Act 2017. Dhaka: Ministry of Women and Children Affairs. Retrieved from https://www.mwca.gov.bd
[10]	Girls Not Brides. (2023). "Child Marriage in Bangladesh." Retrieved from https://girlsnotbrides.org
[11]	Gerold, E., & Antrekowitsch, H. (2022). "A Sustainable Approach for the Recovery of Manganese from Spent Lithium-Ion Batteries via Photocatalytic Oxidation." International Journal of Materials Science and Applications, 11(3), 66-75. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmsa.20221103.12
[12]	Rahman, T., & Hossain, M. (2021). Digital governance and accountability mechanisms in rural Bangladesh. Journal of Public Administration, 18(2), 145-162.
[13]	Karim, S., & Yasmin, R. (2020). Community mobilization strategies to reduce child marriage in South Asia. Development Practice Review, 27(3), 201-219.
[14]	Farhana, N., & Islam, K. (2022). Educational interventions and girls’ school retention in Bangladesh: A mixed-methods study. International Journal of Education Research, 56(1), 55-78.
[15]	Akter, L., & Chowdhury, M. (2023). Strengthening law enforcement for child protection: Challenges and prospects in Bangladesh. Asian Journal of Legal Studies, 14(1), 88-104.
[16]	Begum, R., & Ali, F. (2021). Conditional cash transfers and their impact on delaying child marriage: Evidence from rural Bangladesh. Social Protection Insights, 9(4), 33-49.
[17]	Haque, S., & Khatun, J. (2020). Multi-stakeholder partnerships for gender equity: Lessons from South Asia. International Development Perspectives, 31(2), 112-130.

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APA Style

Jahan, I. (2025). Child Marriage in Bangladesh: Challenges and Prospects for Change. Science Futures, 1(1), 53-58. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.scif.20250101.16

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ACS Style

Jahan, I. Child Marriage in Bangladesh: Challenges and Prospects for Change. Sci. Futures 2025, 1(1), 53-58. doi: 10.11648/j.scif.20250101.16

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AMA Style

Jahan I. Child Marriage in Bangladesh: Challenges and Prospects for Change. Sci Futures. 2025;1(1):53-58. doi: 10.11648/j.scif.20250101.16

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@article{10.11648/j.scif.20250101.16,
  author = {Ifrat Jahan},
  title = {Child Marriage in Bangladesh: Challenges and Prospects for Change},
  journal = {Science Futures},
  volume = {1},
  number = {1},
  pages = {53-58},
  doi = {10.11648/j.scif.20250101.16},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.scif.20250101.16},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.scif.20250101.16},
  abstract = {Child marriage remains a significant social issue in Bangladesh, affecting millions of young girls and hindering their potential. Defined as a marriage where at least one party is below the age of 18, this practice disproportionately impacts girls, limiting their access to education, economic opportunities, and health services. Key drivers of child marriage include poverty, cultural norms, and inadequate enforcement of legal frameworks. Despite legislative measures like the Child Marriage Restraint Act (2017) and government initiatives such as the National Action Plan to End Child Marriage (2018–2030), challenges persist due to societal resistance, economic barriers, and gaps in implementation. This article explores the causes and consequences of child marriage, emphasizing its health, educational, and economic impacts on individuals and society. The paper also evaluates the effectiveness of existing interventions and highlights the need for community engagement, improved law enforcement, and economic support for vulnerable families. By addressing these issues, Bangladesh can progress toward achieving Sustainable Development Goal 5.3, which aims to eliminate harmful practices, including child marriage. The findings underscore the importance of multi-stakeholder collaboration and innovative solutions, such as conditional cash transfers and community-led awareness programs, in combating this deep-rooted practice.},
 year = {2025}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Child Marriage in Bangladesh: Challenges and Prospects for Change
AU  - Ifrat Jahan
Y1  - 2025/12/09
PY  - 2025
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.scif.20250101.16
DO  - 10.11648/j.scif.20250101.16
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AB  - Child marriage remains a significant social issue in Bangladesh, affecting millions of young girls and hindering their potential. Defined as a marriage where at least one party is below the age of 18, this practice disproportionately impacts girls, limiting their access to education, economic opportunities, and health services. Key drivers of child marriage include poverty, cultural norms, and inadequate enforcement of legal frameworks. Despite legislative measures like the Child Marriage Restraint Act (2017) and government initiatives such as the National Action Plan to End Child Marriage (2018–2030), challenges persist due to societal resistance, economic barriers, and gaps in implementation. This article explores the causes and consequences of child marriage, emphasizing its health, educational, and economic impacts on individuals and society. The paper also evaluates the effectiveness of existing interventions and highlights the need for community engagement, improved law enforcement, and economic support for vulnerable families. By addressing these issues, Bangladesh can progress toward achieving Sustainable Development Goal 5.3, which aims to eliminate harmful practices, including child marriage. The findings underscore the importance of multi-stakeholder collaboration and innovative solutions, such as conditional cash transfers and community-led awareness programs, in combating this deep-rooted practice.
VL  - 1
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Author Information

Ifrat Jahan

Independent Researcher, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Contact Email

http://orcid.org/0009-0009-6015-868X

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APA Style

Jahan, I. (2025). Child Marriage in Bangladesh: Challenges and Prospects for Change. Science Futures, 1(1), 53-58. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.scif.20250101.16

Copy | Download

ACS Style

Jahan, I. Child Marriage in Bangladesh: Challenges and Prospects for Change. Sci. Futures 2025, 1(1), 53-58. doi: 10.11648/j.scif.20250101.16

Copy | Download

AMA Style

Jahan I. Child Marriage in Bangladesh: Challenges and Prospects for Change. Sci Futures. 2025;1(1):53-58. doi: 10.11648/j.scif.20250101.16

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.scif.20250101.16,
  author = {Ifrat Jahan},
  title = {Child Marriage in Bangladesh: Challenges and Prospects for Change},
  journal = {Science Futures},
  volume = {1},
  number = {1},
  pages = {53-58},
  doi = {10.11648/j.scif.20250101.16},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.scif.20250101.16},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.scif.20250101.16},
  abstract = {Child marriage remains a significant social issue in Bangladesh, affecting millions of young girls and hindering their potential. Defined as a marriage where at least one party is below the age of 18, this practice disproportionately impacts girls, limiting their access to education, economic opportunities, and health services. Key drivers of child marriage include poverty, cultural norms, and inadequate enforcement of legal frameworks. Despite legislative measures like the Child Marriage Restraint Act (2017) and government initiatives such as the National Action Plan to End Child Marriage (2018–2030), challenges persist due to societal resistance, economic barriers, and gaps in implementation. This article explores the causes and consequences of child marriage, emphasizing its health, educational, and economic impacts on individuals and society. The paper also evaluates the effectiveness of existing interventions and highlights the need for community engagement, improved law enforcement, and economic support for vulnerable families. By addressing these issues, Bangladesh can progress toward achieving Sustainable Development Goal 5.3, which aims to eliminate harmful practices, including child marriage. The findings underscore the importance of multi-stakeholder collaboration and innovative solutions, such as conditional cash transfers and community-led awareness programs, in combating this deep-rooted practice.},
 year = {2025}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Child Marriage in Bangladesh: Challenges and Prospects for Change
AU  - Ifrat Jahan
Y1  - 2025/12/09
PY  - 2025
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.scif.20250101.16
DO  - 10.11648/j.scif.20250101.16
T2  - Science Futures
JF  - Science Futures
JO  - Science Futures
SP  - 53
EP  - 58
PB  - Science Publishing Group
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.scif.20250101.16
AB  - Child marriage remains a significant social issue in Bangladesh, affecting millions of young girls and hindering their potential. Defined as a marriage where at least one party is below the age of 18, this practice disproportionately impacts girls, limiting their access to education, economic opportunities, and health services. Key drivers of child marriage include poverty, cultural norms, and inadequate enforcement of legal frameworks. Despite legislative measures like the Child Marriage Restraint Act (2017) and government initiatives such as the National Action Plan to End Child Marriage (2018–2030), challenges persist due to societal resistance, economic barriers, and gaps in implementation. This article explores the causes and consequences of child marriage, emphasizing its health, educational, and economic impacts on individuals and society. The paper also evaluates the effectiveness of existing interventions and highlights the need for community engagement, improved law enforcement, and economic support for vulnerable families. By addressing these issues, Bangladesh can progress toward achieving Sustainable Development Goal 5.3, which aims to eliminate harmful practices, including child marriage. The findings underscore the importance of multi-stakeholder collaboration and innovative solutions, such as conditional cash transfers and community-led awareness programs, in combating this deep-rooted practice.
VL  - 1
IS  - 1
ER  -

Copy | Download