Child marriage in Bangladesh has declined over the past six years, but progress remains too slow to meet national or global targets, according to findings of the Bangladesh Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) 2025.

The new survey, conducted by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) with support from Unicef, shows that 47.20% of girls are married before the age of 18, down from 51.4% in MICS 2019. 

While the drop indicates gradual improvement, the fact that nearly half of girls are still entering marriage before adulthood highlights the scale of the challenge.

Experts note that early marriage continues to drive a range of poor health outcomes for young mothers and their children. Girls who marry early face higher risks of anemia, malnutrition, and complications during pregnancy, while their babies are more likely to be born underweight, fall ill, or die before the age of five.

The MICS 2025 findings reflect these patterns. More than half of pregnancies are affected by anemia (52.8%), one in six infants are born with low birth weight (16%), and newborn deaths remain high at 22 per 1,000 live births. 

Rising rates of wasting and declining early breastfeeding further add to the concerns.

The data underscores that reducing child marriage is central to improving maternal and child health outcomes.

Despite the slow pace of decline in child marriage, the survey reports encouraging improvements in women's access to health services. 

Antenatal care coverage has risen to 89.7%, institutional deliveries have reached 71%, and skilled birth attendance now stands at 77.6%. Stunting among children has dropped from 28% to 24%.

The contrast between improved health-service access and the persistent prevalence of child marriage suggests that community norms and economic pressures remain powerful barriers. 

Development partners stress that stronger enforcement of laws, greater investment in girls' education, and targeted support for vulnerable families will be essential to accelerate progress.

BBS / Child marriage