Determinants and Consequences of Early Marriage in Matlab, Bangladesh

Early marriage or marriage before the age of 18 is often believed to have negative consequences, leading to lower educational attainment, early childbearing, and adverse health outcomes. Furthermore, early marriage has been regarded by international organizations as a violation of human rights. In Bangladesh, age at marriage has remained low despite the rise in female education. This paper explores the influences that lead to early marriage, including intergenerational effects, and consequences of early marriage for women in Matlab, Bangladesh. While other studies have used cross-sectional data or qualitative data to explore this issue, this study will capitalize upon a unique dataset that links longitudinal data available through two panels of the Matlab Health and Socioeconomic Survey (MHSS), and the prospectively gathered demographic surveillance data from the Matlab Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS). The results of this study will provide new insights into the practice of early marriage for girls in Bangladesh. The findings may have policy implications to raise the age of marriage for girls.