Child marriage in Bangladesh has decreased over the past six years, but progress remains slow, posing persistent health risks for young mothers and their children.
The Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), in collaboration with UNICEF and other partners, released preliminary results of the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2025 (MICS 2025) on Sunday, the most comprehensive survey of children and women in the country.
According to the survey, 47.2 per cent of girls are married before the age of 18, down from 51.4 per cent in the previous MICS 2019. While the decline signals gradual improvement, nearly half of all girls are still entering marriage before adulthood, highlighting the scale of the challenge.
Experts warn that early marriage continues to drive poor health outcomes. Girls who marry young are more likely to suffer from anemia, malnutrition, and pregnancy complications, while their children face higher risks of low birth weight, illness, and death before age five.
The MICS 2025 findings underscore these risks: more than half of pregnancies are affected by anemia (52.8 per cent), one in six infants are born underweight (16 per cent), and newborn mortality remains high at 22 per 1,000 live births. Rising rates of wasting and declining early breastfeeding further compound concerns.
Despite the slow decline in child marriage, the survey shows improvements in women’s access to health services. Antenatal care coverage has risen to 89.7 per cent, institutional deliveries have reached 71 per cent, and skilled birth attendance stands at 77.6 per cent. Stunting among children has fallen from 28 per cent to 24 per cent.
The contrast between improved health services and persistent child marriage highlights the influence of community norms and economic pressures. Development partners stress that stronger law enforcement, investment in girls’ education, and targeted support for vulnerable families will be critical to accelerate progress.
