By Arju Afrin Kathy and Aminul Arifeen

Child marriage remains a significant development concern in Bangladesh, with profound implications for education outcomes, gender equality, and long-term economic participation. Using data from the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS) 2022, this paper examines recent trends in age at first marriage and identifies key socio-economic and geographic vulnerabilities associated with early marriage. The analysis highlights strong associations between child marriage, household poverty, educational discontinuation, and regional disparities. Framed within the lifecycle approach of the National Social Security Strategy (NSSS), the paper argues that adolescence remains an under-protected stage within existing social protection systems. As Bangladesh transitions toward the next generation of the NSSS, the findings underscore the need for preventive, adolescent-focused social protection interventions, including education-linked incentives, targeted income support, and integrated complementary services to reduce child marriage risks and strengthen long-term equity.