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Volume 4 Issue 4, Year 2025ISSN: 2158-8155 (Online), 2832-4854 (Print)DOI: https://doi.org/10.54536/ajmri.v4i4.4839https://journals.e-palli.com/home/index.php/ajmriArticle InformationABSTRACTReceived: April 28, 2025Accepted: May 31, 2025Published: July 04, 2025This study explores the social consequences of child marriage on girls in Kolmudanga, Uttar Patary and Boldiaghat villages at Patari Union of Naogaon District, Bangladesh. In this study, we applied qualitative research methods because of study area related limitations. In this case Data were collected employing case studies, focus group discussions and document analysis. 35 respondents (31 female and 4 male) were selected by snowball sampling techniques. The findings shows that social repercussions of child marriage, including high rates of divorce, post-marital affairs and remarriage as well as impoverishment, marital rape, and family violence. Among 35 respondents the average age of marriage was 13 years (the average age of female respondent was 11 years where male 15), the lowest age of girls were 10 (four cases) and boys were14 years old (two cases). Nine cases of this study had divorce for one or more times, where five cases have remarriage which is an alarming trend in the study area. Marital rape, dowry and domestic violence are responsible for divorce in the study area. There was a relationship among divorce, post marital affairs and remarriage. High number of divorces plays in post marital affairs which often contributes to remarriage. Because of multiple divorce, romantic relationships and repeated marriage, girls are becoming stigmatized both within their families and in society, which is significantly affecting their mental and social beauty or social well-being. Child marriage poses a major obstacle to social equality at Patari union in rural Naogaon District of Bangladesh. The findings serve as valuable insight for academics and policymakers indicating the way of effective plans and program regarding effects of child marriage. Ultimately, the study makes a significant contribution to the realization of sustainable development goals (SDGs), particularly goal 5, which promotes gender equality, and goal 10, which focuses on reducing inequalities. Eliminating child marriage will help create a safer, more equitable, and promising future for Bangladeshi girls.KeywordsBangladeshi Girls, Child Marriage, Divorce, SDGs, Social Consequences 1 Department of Sociology, Varendra University, Rajshahi, Bangladesh2 Department of Islamic History and Culture, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi, Bangladesh3 Department of Sociology, North Bengal International University, Rajshahi, Bangladesh4 Department of Sociology, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi, Bangladesh* Corresponding author’s e-mail: islamsocru@gmail.comINTRODUCTIONMarriage is an institution which permitted or allowed a man and a woman to live together, have intercourses, and raise a family by social, religious, and legal way (Islam et al., 2024). Child marriage, On the other hand, refers to a union between boys and girls under the age of eighteen years (Parson et al., 2016). By this practice children are severely deprived of their childhood and their human rights are violated (Chowdhury, 2004). Worldwide an estimated 650 million girls and women are thought to have married before turning 18 years old. (UNICEF, 2020), in developing countries, one in three girls marry before the age of 18 where one in five girls marry before the age of 15 (UNFPA, 2016). In over the world, Bangladesh is one of the highest rates of child marriage (59%) and the highest rate within South Asia (Antu et al.,2022). There are over 38 million child brides, many of whom get married before they turn 15 and 51% of young women get married before they turn 18 in Bangladesh (UNICEF, 2020). During the COVID-19 epidemic, situation have gotten worse. According to UNFPA data, over the previous year, the number of weddings among girls between the ages of 15 to 19 increased by 10% in 2021, for a two-year total increase of 27% (Prothom Alo, 2022). Child marriage creates gender discrimination and inequality in education by causing school dropouts, particularly among girls. It is also obstacle to women empowerment (Abera, et al., 2020). In rural Bangladesh, child marriage has barriered to women’s empowerment which is obstacle to fulfill the sustainable development goal no 5 (Islam et al., 2024). Child marriage has multiple impacts, including social, economic, physical, psychological, legal, health-related, as well as climatic and environmental effects. This study aims to explore only social consequences of child marriage at Patari union of Naogaon district in Rajshahi, Bangladesh.MATERIALS AND METHODSQualitative research methodology has been applied in this study. To collect data focus group discussions, case studies, and document analysis have been applied in this study to examine the societal ramifications of child marriage at three villages of Patari Union in the Naogaon District. Techniques including observations, conversation analysis, interview, key informant interviews and tools such as check list, recorder have also been used in this study. Using snowball sampling technique 35 respondents have been selected. When respondents cannot be found and
