Research Monograph on Public Opinion on Child Marriage Laws in Bangladesh: Legal Perspectives, Social Realities, and Reform Needs

Abstract

Child marriage Millions of Bangladeshi girls have their rights, education and health damaged by the country’s widespread problem with child marriage. Child marriage continues in spite of legal actions such as the Child Marriage Restraint Act (2016). That’s what this thesis explores, considering people’s opinions regarding child marriage laws in Bangladesh, the collision between legal perspectives and social reality, and what needs to change. The study adopts a mixed methods approach, using quantitative questionnaires combined with qualitative interviews conducted in urban and rural contexts. The attitudes of respondents on child marriage and its legal practices, intervention of the research towards few demography, such as age, gender, educational level and socio- economic status are examined. Although the laws about child marriage are well- known, there is still a wide gulf in terms of knowing and accepting those rules. Many populations view government at loggerheads with their economy and culture, leading people not to follow the law or avoid it.