Write a paragraph in about 200 words on "Early Marriage in Bangladesh" mentioning its causes and effects.

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Early marriage—defined as marriage before the age of 18—is a persistent challenge in Bangladesh. Approximately 51% of girls marry before turning 18, the highest rate in South Asia and eighth highest globally (link.springer.com). Root causes are deeply woven into poverty, patriarchal norms, the dowry system, and concerns about girls’ safety. Poor rural families often perceive daughters as economic burdens and arrange early marriages to reduce expenses and dowry demands . Families also believe marriage offers security from premarital relationships or harassment .

The effects are profound: girls forced into early marriage frequently drop out of school, limiting their future opportunities (observerbd.com). Early pregnancy poses serious health risks—complications such as postpartum hemorrhage, high maternal and infant mortality, malnutrition, and anemia are common among teenage mothers (en.bonikbarta.com). Disrupted education also stunts girls’ personal and economic growth, reinforcing cycles of poverty and social inequality (observerbd.com). Additionally, early marriage increases vulnerability to intimate partner violence and limits young women’s agency in health and family decisions (link.springer.com).

Addressing early marriage in Bangladesh requires a multifaceted approach: enforce laws like the Child Marriage Restraint Act more rigorously, improve girls’ access to education and economic resources, and drive cultural change through awareness campaigns targeting traditional norms .