Early marriage in Bangladesh is closely linked to climate vulnerability, while emerging trends such as self-initiated marriages are reshaping the child marriage landscape, according to a new study by Plan International Bangladesh.

To accelerate progress toward ending child marriage, the organisation called for a shift from awareness-based approaches to health-centred, coordinated, and system-driven solutions.

The study's findings were presented at an event titled "Between Choice and Constraint: Examining Institutional Gaps and Emerging Trends Related to Child Marriage in Bangladesh", held at a hotel in Dhaka yesterday.

The study highlights a growing pattern of adolescents choosing to marry early, often without understanding the physical and emotional consequences.

Despite progress in education and legal frameworks, adolescent girls remain vulnerable to multiple and intersecting risks, said the study.

In urban areas such as Dhaka's Dholpur, 32 percent of girls' marriages and 11 percent of boys' marriages were self-initiated, with most initiated by boys. Nearly half of newly married girls become pregnant within a year, increasing their risk of obstetric complications and perinatal death, it also said.

These vulnerabilities are compounded by weak marriage registration systems, falsified birth records, and climate-related livelihood insecurities that continue to push families into early marriage, it added.

Speaking at the event, Dr Taslima Yasmin, associate professor of Law at Dhaka University, questioned how the Child Marriage Restraint Act 2017 can be applied in cases where adolescents themselves choose marriage, noting that punishments should not violate children's rights.

Md Faruk Hossain, joint commissioner of police at DMP, stressed the need for greater local-level responsiveness and community coordination to prevent child marriages.

Unicef and faith-based organisations emphasised the importance of multi-stakeholder collaboration, including with religious leaders, to transform community perceptions and prevent the misuse of faith to justify early marriage.

Recommendations from the discussion included strengthening Child Marriage Prevention Committees (CMPCs) at all administrative levels, reframing awareness messages to focus on the health rationale behind the legal age of 18, and promoting positive parenting to improve parent–child communication.

The study also urges digital reforms in marriage registration, improved sexual and reproductive health and education services, and livelihood support in climate-affected areas to reduce the economic pressures that drive early marriage.