Assessment of Child Marriage Propensity on the Basis of Influence Area: A Case Study on Jamalpur, Bogra and Sirajganj District of Bangladesh

Abstract

Bangladesh has one of the highest global rates of child marriage. A substantial  proportion of girls are married before the age of 18, often without their voluntary consent in Bangladesh. According to United Nations estimates, nearly  66% of Bangladeshi females enter into marriage during adolescence. This high  prevalence is driven by a range of interrelated factors, including entrenched  social norms, economic pressures, and cultural practices that perpetuate the  cycle of child marriage. These factors may vary from region to region while  two or more connected regions may have some common norms or customs  that influence each other. The study aims to find out the influence area and  unserved area of the upazilas of Jamalpur, Bogra and Sirajganj districts by  Functional regionalization and to assess the reasons behind having most influence area on the basis of some factors. From Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) 2011, the data have been collected and gravitational theory is used to find out influence area in this study. Crime data, socio-economic condition at these three districts are analyzed in this study. From the quantitative analysis the findings indicate that poverty, lack of education, patriarchal family structures, and social insecurity are some of the dominant factors driving early marriage in these regions. In many cases, families believe marrying their daughters at a young age provides social protection or economic relief. The analysis highlights how functional interdependency between neighboring upazilas strengthens cultural practices, leading to widespread child marriage. The study has successfully identified the functional interdependency and showed the influence between them which led early marriage frequently. Policymakers may find this information useful in focusing actions and providing resources to prevent child marriage in the areas most affected.