Determinants of age at first marriage in Bangladesh-Patterns and Differentials

Abstract

This paper focuses on the examining the patterns of age at first marriage and also identify the socio-economic, demographic and cultural factors influencing marriage age in Bangladesh. This study utilizes survey data of Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS 2011). Like other developing countries early marriage is a major determinants of the rates of fertility. The independents test of chi-square is used to study the effect of selected background characteristics of age at first marriage in Bangladesh. The cross tabulation has been used to estimate the factors affected the use of any method and age at first marriage in Bangladesh. The factors Respondents education, Types of place of residence, Partners education, Religion, Region, Partners occupation, socio-economic status, Respondent currently working have significantly effects on age at first marriage in Bangladesh. Bivariate analysis and Logistic regression are used to explain these objectives. The study shows those respondents who have no education, marriage at early age and at least secondary education to married at later age. Similar pattern marriage at early age has been seen in case of illiterate and service holders husbands. Form this analysis we can say that maximum respondents who are not currently working married before or at median age 15 years. The author believes that this study nay be useful for policy makers and other researchers doing research in the patterns age at first marriage and its differentials in Bangladesh.