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Determinants of divorce in a traditional Muslim community in Bangladesh

Author

Listed:
  • Nurul Alam

    (International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B))

  • Sajal Saha

    (International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B))

  • Jeroen K Van Ginneken

    (Nederlands Interdisciplinair Demografisch Instituut (NIDI))

Abstract

This study examines the effects of spouses’ prior marital status and socio-demographic characteristics on the risk of divorce of 1762 Muslim marriages recorded in 1982-83 in Teknaf, Bangladesh. Grooms' prior marital status was categorized into never married, divorced, widowed or polygynous (already cohabiting with one or more wives) and brides’ prior marital status was categorized into never married, divorced or widowed. Divorce was recorded by following the marriages prospectively for five years. Due to the fact that a longitudinal study design was used, the quality of the information presented here is considered to be high. A discrete-time hazard logistic model was used to estimate the effects of spouses’ prior marital status and a number of socio-demographic variables on risk of divorce. Polygynous marriage, remarriage and divorce were found to be common in this traditional Muslim community. The odds of divorce were 2.5 times higher for grooms’ polygynous marriages and 1.6 times higher for brides’ remarriages compared to their peers’ first marriages. The odds of divorce decreased with marriage duration. The groom’s and bride’s low socio-economic status, illiteracy, and early age at marriage increased the odds of divorce. The odds of divorce were much higher if there was no birth in the preceding six months.

Suggested Citation

  • Nurul Alam & Sajal Saha & Jeroen K Van Ginneken, 2000. "Determinants of divorce in a traditional Muslim community in Bangladesh," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 3(4).
    • Handle: RePEc:dem:demres:v:3:y:2000:i:4
    DOI: 10.4054/DemRes.2000.3.4
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. James McCarthy, 1978. "A comparison of the probability of the dissolution of first and second marriages," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 15(3), pages 345-359, August.
    2. Jane Menken & James Trussell & Debra Stempel & Ozer Babakol, 1981. "Proportional hazards life table models: an illustrative analysis of socio-demographic influences on marriage dissolution in the United States," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 18(2), pages 181-200, May.
    3. Joseph Chamie & Samar Nsuly, 1981. "Sex differences in remarriage and spouse selection," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 18(3), pages 335-348, August.
    4. Teresa Martin & Larry Bumpass, 1989. "Recent trends in marital disruption," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 26(1), pages 37-51, February.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Gretchen C. Perry, 2021. "Non-Parental Investment in Children and Child Outcomes after Parental Death or Divorce in a Patrilocal Society," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-22, May.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Bangladesh; divorce; marriage; polygyny; remarriage;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J1 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics
    • Z0 - Other Special Topics - - General

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