Exploring Determinants of Early Marriage among Women in Bangladesh: A Multilevel Analysis

Abstract Background: Early marriage is considered a global problem both in developed and developing countries because it deprives women of their basic human rights. This study aimed to identify the prevalence and determinants of early marriage among women in Bangladesh. Methods: We used the most recent Bangladesh Demography and Health Survey 2017-18 data. This study analyzed a weighted sample of 20,127 reproductive-aged women. The significant factors related to early marriage were identified using the multilevel logistic regression method. An adjusted odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval was used to explain the significant factors. Results: Our findings showed that women’s age, education, place of residence, division, wealth index and religion had a substantial effect on early marriage. However, it can be concluded that women with higher educational status (OR= 0.07, 95% CI= 0.06-0.08) and rich household families (OR= 0.89, 95% CI= 0.80-0.99) had a lower chance of engaging in early marriage than women with no education and poor household families. Conclusion: The prevalence of early marriage is still high in Bangladesh. The study recommended that attention to women’s education, place of residence, regions, wealth index and religion might help to reduce early marriage in Bangladesh.