Early Family Formation in Bangladesh and West Bengal

West Bengal is unique in the sense that female age at marriage is among the lowest in India when the state has been a forerunner in demographic transition among Indian states. Similarly marriage age has been persistently low in Bangladesh despite heavy investments in female education and employment. This paper contends that regional context is an important determinant of marriage/childbearing patterns. West Bengal has more in common with Bangladesh than with the rest of India given the long history shared by the two wings of pre-Partition British Bengal. Applying survival analysis techniques to Bangladesh 2007 DHS and West Bengal 2005-06 NFHS, the paper examines the life course followed by women. The age affect is a more important determinant for leaving education than any other co-variate examined. The age or cohort effect is highly significant in determining the likelihood of entry into first marriage in Bangladesh, but not in West Bengal. Contrary to a fixed life course trajectory, results reveal that women follow diverse patterns. Whereas, women with little education enter marriage and childbearing early, the trajectory for educated women is not as clear cut. The paper discusses the plausible causes and consequences of the various trajectories of family formation.