Marriage is a legal union between a man and a woman for performing social roles as husband and wife, and it is universal in Bangladesh [1]. Marriage is an institution by which a male and a female get social, religious and legal permission for living together, involving in sexual intercourse and reproducing children. The minimum legal age for marriage in Bangladesh is 18 for women and 21 for men. Child marriage occurs when a boy or girl is given in marriage before this age [2]. As defined by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), “early marriage” is often used interchangeably with “child marriage” and refers to “marriages involving a person aged below 18 in countries where the age of majority is attained earlier or upon married [3]. So, we can say Child marriage is a union between a boy and a girl under the age of 18 years. It is basically a strong social custom where a child loses his/her childhood of a human rights violation process, particularly for girls in Bangladesh. Child marriage is a violation of human rights. It has physical, intellectual, psychological and emotional implications for the young brides. It denies young girls their childhood and adolescence [2]. Worldwide, more than 700 million women alive today were married before their 18th birthday. More than one in three (about 250 million) entered into union before age 15 [4]. Seventeen percent, or 125 million, live in Africa [5]. South Asia has an even higher prevalence of child marriage in the both relative and absolute terms (46 percent and 24.4 million) Overall, in 2010, over 67 million women aged 20 to 24 had been married or in brides; sub-saharan Africa for 13.2 million (almost 20 percent) of them (UNFPA).

In South Asia nearly half of young women are married by their 18^th birthday. Bangladesh has the highest rate of child marriage of girls under the age 15 in the world, with 29% of girls in Bangladesh married before age 15, according to UNICEF study in 2013 [6]. Large number of population of women (71 percent) in rural areas are married before 18 compared to (54 percent) in urban areas [7]. The causes of child marriage in Bangladesh are cultural tradition, social insecurity, poverty, lack of education and consciousness, drop out, dowry, over population, fear of social stigma and self-esteem, strong religious belief, customs, patriarchy, autocratic behavior of the parents or guardians, girl’s beauty, social pressure and audience challenge, lack of social mobility, strong communal solidarity, under empowerment of women, less scope of higher education, false consciousness about age of marriage, misconception about reproductive health, weak local government [6]. 

The outcomes of child marriage in the study area are: Loss of physical health, higher rate of divorce, family violence, marital rape, increasing population, impoverishment, devoid of child rights, deprived of education, under employment of women, falling in more insecurity, increasing the rate of dropout, post-marital affairs, discrimination, increasing illiteracy, loosing encouragement of work, degradation of self-esteem, urban migration, family conflict, polygamy etc. As a result of Child marriage, Individual loses his/her physical beauty, family loses its social beauty and society loses its natural beauty also. For this reason, this kind of research is more necessary to conscious people of the study area as well as to decrease the rate of child marriage from Bangladesh. 

Objective and Methodology of the Study

The objective of the study is to explore the causes of child marriage from theoretical point of view. Methodological mixes have been applied in this study. For understanding the research problem comprehensively, social survey as a quantitative method and focus group discussion, case study, and document analysis as qualitative methods has been used. Semi-structured questionnaire, check list, paper, pencil, pen, note book, camera, audio and video recorder have been used as research tools and interview, key informant interview, conversation analysis, observation and classroom observation have been used as research techniques.

Child marriage is a strong social custom where a child loses his/her childhood of a human rights violation process, particularly for girls in Bangladesh. According to UNICEF report, “the State of the World’s Children, 2009”, “Early marriage is pervasive in Bangladesh, with 64 percent of girls married before age 18. Early pregnancy often results from child marriage; one-third of girls aged 15 to 19 in Bangladesh are currently either mothers or pregnant.” Although child marriage is prohibited legally, but occurrences of child marriage are still happening in rural areas of Bangladesh. There are many reasons for child marriage. In this study area we have found 34 causes, some are old and some new. The old causes are: Cultural tradition, strong religious beliefs, social insecurity, poverty, lack of education and consciousness, patriarchal society, dowry, over population, under-empowerment of woman, considering girls as burden to the family, remote location, lack of social mobility, drop out, illiteracy, girl’s beauty, customs, autocratic behavior of parent and other guardians, and to get a better bridegroom and the new are: Weak local government, strong communal solidarity, social pressure and audience challenge, fear of social stigma and self-esteem, lower scope of higher study, romantic relation, eve teasing,  rape, misconception about reproductive health, abuse of information technology, competition and conflict with neighbor, considering girls as fresh, young and innocent, lack of activities from the central government, possibility of losing market value, preserve land property.

Theoretical Explanation of the Causes of Child Marriage in Bangladesh

If we look at the nature of Sociology, we see that it is a theoretical science. We can explain the causes of child marriage by various theories. Those are: Functionalist theory, conflict theory, exchange theory, interactionist theory, feminist theory, structuration theory, rational choice theory, and cultural lag theory, modern and postmodern theory. We can also explain the causes of child marriage through induction-deduction process. (see: theoretical framework-1) In this paper we have explained the causes of child marriage through functionalist theory by Durkheim’s theory of anomie and Merton’s theory of deviance and postmodern theory by John A. Lees’s style theory of love and Riess’s wheel theory of love.

Functionalist Theory 

Functionalism is one of the major paradigms in Sociology. This paradigm views society as an organism in which all parts of society function in various ways. Emile Durkheim, Radcliff-Brown, Talcott Parsons and Robert Merton are the pioneer functionalists. Functionalism addresses the society as a whole in terms of function of its needful elements such as norms, customs, traditions, institutions and so on.  Durkheim explained in his theoretical approach that society is held together by the shared beliefs, sentiments and values of members in a society. That is to say that society exists because of consensus (agreement) to follow the rules to keep society stable. Social norms, traditions and customs, societal laws, common morality, and so on are things that are external to the individual and yet have coercive power over him [8]. 

Functionalism can be best understood both of its origin and in terms of its consequences for, and functions in a given society. 

From a functionalist perspective, marriage is a social process of legitimizing the sexual relationship between a man and a woman that gives social recognition to their offspring. However, when marriage occurs at an early age it rather becomes a problem. 

According to Durkheim all institutions of society equally function. Sometimes negative functions occur in society because of anomic behavior. Social anomie is thus the important notions that are explained within the functionalist tradition. In simple terms, anomie refers to a state of formlessness emerging due to lack of social control or dysfunctionality of control mechanisms in a society during the transition periods [9]; such as economic turmoil, political changes and social change and revolutions.

So, we can finally say that the lack of social norms and values are the main causes of anomie. If we explain Durkheim’s theory of anomie, we see that eve teasing and rape are anomic behavior and which are occur in society because of the lack of socio religious norms and values. Rape and eve teasing are two forms of physical and psychological abuse that usually creates social insecurity within society. In this study area social insecurity is a vital cause of child marriage. Like Durkheim Merton develops the concept of anomie to describe the imbalance between cultural goals and institutionalized means. Merton aims at finding how social structure affects the individuals in a way that they adopt non-conformist behavior rather than conformist behavior (1938:672). Similar to Durkheim’s ideas on anomie, Merton asserts that malfunctioning of social system is certainly influential on the individuals in the sense that it may generate anti-social behavior due to “dissociation of culturally defined goals and socially institutionalized means.” (1938:674). He argues that such an imbalance in society produces anomie- there is a strain between the goals and means which produce unsatisfied aspirations. This is the main theme of Merton’s theory of Deviance or anomie. So, rape and eve teasing are the products of deviant behavior that is very much related to the topics to be discussed. Actually, the dysfunction or anomie or deviance which occurs in society (Rape, Eve teasing) is responsible for child marriage. 

Postmodern Theory

Style Theory of Love: Canadian sociologist John Lee [10] developed one of the most widely cited and studied theories of love. According to Lee, there are six basic styles of loving: eros, mania, ludus, storge, agape, and pragma. All of which overlap and may vary in intensity (Table 1).

Love Styles are six models/classifications of how people love. There are three primary- main love styles, and three secondary- love styles that arise out of a combination of two of the primary types. Primary are: Eros, ludus and storge and secondary are: Mania, pragma, and agape.

Eros

The Romantic. This style is characterized by relentless romance and passion, and often falls in "love at first sight." For someone who exhibits Eros (hence, Erotic), there is a primary emphasis on physical attraction and sexual desire, at times, even at the expense of other aspects of compatibility. Additionally, these individuals seek out their "ideal type." This is someone that, to them, is the perfect example/image of what beauty and attraction is. Moreover, these individuals tend to be very committed, as they value intense emotion and desire exclusivity, especially if they are with someone that reflects their ideal type/someone they are very attracted to. Erotic lovers also tend to have higher than average self-esteem since Eros, "gives fully, intensely, and takes risks in love, it requires substantial ego strength." Some popular examples of Eros would be Romeo (Romeo and Juliet), 'Antar ('Antar wa 'Abla), Majnun (Layla and Majnun), Jack Dawson (Titanic), and Anakin Skywalker (Star Wars). This is also the most common depiction of love in the media.

Ludus

The Player. Originally termed by the Roman poet Ovid, love for a Ludus resembles a game, a sport, or a conquest. They are playful, flirtatious, fun, independent, nonconformist, and permissive (to the point of promiscuity). They go from person to person, often juggling multiple partners and romantic or sexual interests at once, and recover quickly from break-ups or rejections as they value quantity over quality. They do not follow the traditional rules of romance, love, and dating, and often break them. According to Lee, "The degree of involvement is carefully controlled, jealousy is eschewed, and relationships are often multiple and relatively short-lived." Moreover, they are incredibly non-committal (so much that they actively resist it), and they often do not place a high value on intimacy, nor do they expect it. This is very different than the quote, unquote "game" that people talk about with relationships. This is very different than someone exhibiting Ludic love, and in fact, someone who does either rigidly adheres to "game playing," or often breaks the rules of "the game" to maximize their own outcomes. These individuals also have higher than average self-esteem, and in fact, "[individuals] with very positive self-esteem were more Ludic than were either of the other two self-esteem groups...apparently, it takes good ego strength to play seriously at love as a game."

Storge

The Best Friend-Lover. These individuals exhibit high amounts of commitment, devotion, intimacy, and highly value compatibility, respect, understanding, and harmony. Taken from Lee, Storge is "a style based on slowly developing affection and companionship, a gradual disclosure of self, an avoidance of self-conscious passion, and an expectation of long-term commitment." For these individuals, friendship comes first, figuratively and literally. They value stability and long-term commitment. Moreover, Storgic individuals place a lot of emphasis on the companionship aspect of a relationship.

Mania

The Infatuation. This is a combination of Eros and Ludus. According to Lee, "Mania is an obsessive, jealous, emotionally intense Love Style characterized by preoccupation with the beloved and a need for repeated reassurance of being loved." Mania carries the most negative connotations as these individuals are possessive, dependent, intense, and often appear insecure. In fact, Hendrick and Hendrick found that Manic lovers had some of the lowest self-esteem among their sample, and "in fact, one reason Manic lovers are Manic is because of uncertainty of self in the relationship". This Love Style is particularly common with teenagers and adolescents. 

Table 1: Lees’s Six Styles of Love [10,11]

One of the most well-known examples of a Manic lover is Alex Forrest (Fatal Attraction). As you can see, it doesn't really bode well for a happy ending...

Pragma

The Practical Lover. The combination of Ludus and Storge. These individuals are pragmatic, practical, rational, realistic, and most importantly, have a very defined list of qualities they are looking for in a partner that emphasizes long-term commitment and high levels of compatibility, as well as "settling down." They make it a goal to find someone who exhibits most, if not all, of the desired qualities on their list. Furthermore, according to Lee Pragmatic lovers take into account "conscious consideration of "vital statistics" about a suitable beloved. Education, vocation, religion, age, and numerous other demographic characteristics of the potential beloved are taken into account in the search for a compatible match."

Agape 

The Selfless Lover. The combination of Eros and Storge. "Agape is altruistic love, given because the lover sees it as his (or her) duty to love without expectation of reciprocity. It is gentle, caring, and guided by reason more than emotion". Agapic individuals sacrifice often for the other person's happiness, sometimes at the influence of a spiritual power and at the expense of their own needs and desires. They also give their love unconditionally. Agape is one of the rarest Love Styles, but also one of the most successful.

Wheel theory of love

Sociologist Ira Reiss and his associates proposed a “wheel theory of love” that generated much research for several decades. Reiss described four stages of love: rapport, self-revelation, mutual dependency, and personality need fulfillment. In the first stage, partners establish rapport based on culturally similar upbringing, social class, religion, and educational level (see Chapter 1 on endogamy). Without rapport, according to Reiss, would-be lovers don’t have enough in common to establish an initial interest. In the second stage, self-revelation brings the couple closer together. Because each person feels more at ease in the relationship, she or he is more likely to disclose intimate and personal feelings, and to engage in sexual activities. In the third stage, as the couple becomes more intimate, the partners’ mutual dependency increases: They share ideas, jokes, hopes, and fears. In the fourth and final stage, the couple experiences personality need fulfillment. The partners confide in each other, make mutual decisions, support each other’s ambitions, and bolster each other’s self-confidence [11].

If we summaries Lee’s style theory of Love and Reiss’s wheel theory of love, we see there are Six types of Love: eros, ludus storge, (primary types) and mania, pragma, agape (secondary types) and 4 stages of love: building rapport, self-revelation, mutual dependency, and personality need fulfillment. Rapport-meet people who live close, share similar interests, cultural values. Self-Revelation-become closer, share more about yourself, more personal. Mutual Dependency-open ourselves more and depend on our partner. Personality Need Fulfillment-the couple lives become intertwined and on the other hand, Erose means Love of beauty and romantic love. It can be said the love at first sight. Ludus means playful love; it can be termed as game playing love. Generally, those types of love are visualized among individual who are very much emotional and socially immature. So, we might say the eros and the ludus are the love of child. Because of those two types of love, young boys and girls can elope or involve in physical intercourse. In this stage they try to fulfill their physical and psychological need for this reason Reiss called this stage Personality need fulfillment. This concept of romantic relation is increasing the fear of social stigma and self-esteem as well as the audience challenge and social presser which force child marriage in the study area. To better understand the theoretical framework is given below.

Social Insecurity

Social insecurity means lack of social security. It includes not only the economic, educational, political, and religious security but also the physical and psychological security because all of these are related to each other. Lack of Social Insecurity guardians marries their Children at early age. Young girls are frequently subjected to harassment from young unmarried men, which threaten the security of many families. 

“Uttor kalmudanga, hatath para, Jinnatun, real age 9/10, but more in birth registration card Got married few months ago with a divorced man. Jinatun lost her parents and lives with her grandmother. She hasn’t her period yet. The man forced her in sexual relation but she was scared. So now she doesn’t want to continue the relation. Insecurity was the main cause behind her marriage. (Case-4).  especially the secondary level statistics show that 80 students had admitted into class six but only 33 students have passed class six and another 47 students have been given sub in marriage in the Kalmudanga girls high school (Document study-4). Head teacher Md. Abdul Kahar said before one year there were out of 200 students in this school but the present number of students are 150 all of drop out students have been got married (FGD -2) The first time of 2015there were 68 students of class five in boldiaghat govt. primary school now 57 students are there (Document study-2). Durul Huda, Assistant teacher of boldiaghat govt. primary school said the eleven drop out students has got married. Divorce girls are coming back to their father’s house and are not going to school again in preference they are going to garments and enjoying romantic relationship (KII-09).” 

The drop out boys pass their daily time by playing game, smoking, addicting drugs and various bad habits, some of them go to garments to earn money, the divorce girls also go on to garments as well as boys. Besides that, less scope of higher education in this village is an important cause of educational insecurity.

“Assistant teacher Md. Sajedul Islam said the nearest college is situated 8 to 10 km and Sapahar government Degree College 20 km away from this school (FGD-2).” 

Most of the people here belief that at present time there is no job without bribe and whereas we are poor so we will not be able to give a big money as bribe. So, it is very good to us to give early marriage of our children. In recent year because of easy communication and transportation system and over expose to media have increased social insecurity. The chief rate of and availability of mobilephone, computer, internet, satellite channel (Indian serial) and misuse of thesetechnologies are responsible for increasing rate of child abuse (romantic relation, eve teasing, rape) and violence (family violence) both inside and outside of the family and that are responsible for increasing the rate of child marriage as well as divorce.

“Abdur Rahman is a van driver who got married at 16. Now he is 18 but seems like 26 or more. Sometimes it seems burden for him to bear the cost of the total family where he has four more from class six, because he wasn’t a good student and his parents were so poor to provide all facilities for him. At first, he had some bad influence of friends; he started taking drags like fencidil, Ganja, cigarette and others some days he was involved with cow trafficking from India. It was so dangerous. He was about to caught up by BSFs. So, after some days he went to Dhaka. There he worked in a garments factory. He earned some money and after some month he came back to his village. His brother-in-law the (Sister’s Husband) told him “Now you are worthy enough to marry someone so I can find a girl for you.” At first Abdur Rahman didn’t care about it but when his brother-in-law shows him a girl then he became interested for marriage. The girl was too young only ten.

Abdur Rahman told his family by someone other. Both he and the girl were under 18 so the marriage wasn’t registered. He had a night marriage. He didn’t get lots of dowry during marriage but his friends get much more than him so now he wants some more dowry from his in laws side. His wife is pregnant now and he sent her wife to his in laws house and told her to tell them about his demand. He married a girl from his own village she is now14 years old and got pregnant. She becomes ill, so he sends her wife to his in laws house for treatment and care. Two years ago he got married with the girl from his village. It was a night marriage. He has a friend named Amnur (age 18) who has already divorced his two wives and now his third wife is living with him. He does abusive behavior with his wife.

Rahman said most of the teenage boys who have dropped out from their school play sports, game, watch porn movie, enjoy romantic relationships go to garments, involve in drug business and smuggling. Mobile phone is an influential element or agent for occurring these works (Case-29).”

Because of the technological development the silences of village community life of thousand years ago have broken down and increased social insecurity among the rural people.

Fear of Social Stigma and Self-Esteem

To have unmarried mature girls is shameful for a family. Besides that, the fear of social stigma or self-esteem is another cause of Child marriage which is related to traditional belief. They think that if their son or daughter does romantic relation or is raped or Eve teasing then he or she will be stigmatized including all the family members by a group or society.

“Md. Mozaffar Hossain, Member of 2 no patari union [12] parishad said people of this village are very poor and most of them are illiterate. They consider their daughter as a burden. He said that development of technology and their availability have brought a radical change in rural life. Misuse of mobile, computer and satellite channel teenage boys and girls are involving romantic relation as well as eve teasing, rep, mistress are increasing day by day. He said one people of this village have raped three girls at the same time and now one girl is pregnant among the three girls (KII-3). Forida, 13 years old. Got married first in class 2, second in class 3, and lastly, she had a romantic relation with another boy of class nine. For the third time she got married with the boy. Now she is pregnant. (Case-07).”

People in People in the study area want to live with self-esteem and do not want to take risk of social Stigma, actually they are not ambitious and they like to lead a simple life for this reason they give early marriage of their Children before occurring negative something.

Audience Challenge and Social Pressure

Most of the family thinks marriage is a way to ensure that their daughters are protected as parents feel their daughter will be better off financially and safer from sexual abuse or illicit sexual contact if they are married. As because of availability and accessibility of technology (mobile, computer, satellite channel), over expose to media, easy communication and transportation system the rate of child abuse (rape, eve teasing) and romantic relation, (fear of elopement and sexual intercourse) are increasing day by day those are prohibited by our social and religious values. All these things are creating social pressure and audience challenge that finally can be responsible for child marriage.

Child marriage is going to be a strongly established social practice in Patari union. The villagers are very much united here in this respect. Even it is seen here that it doesn’t vary in case of poor and rich, literate and illiterate. So it is high time to prevent the girls from this devil practice. The main causes inherent in the practice and tradition of the villages. They have developed a new concept that is Rat e Biye (marriage at night), we may call it Silent marriage or Night Marriage. The causes are not one, some economic, and many more social causes are acting behind this. Child marriage has changed the mental setting of the children of the study area. They limited their dream and imagination inside the house. Nobody discussing about it when someone becoming the victims of this silent marriage or night marriage.  This 35 is not all, there are thousands of children in the villages who are already victimized and other are staying in the risk zone. There can be no doubt that the practice of child marriage is harmful in many ways. However, the deep-rooted traditions and customs compel specially the poor families in the urban and rural areas of Bangladesh to continue the practice of early marriage. The reason for early marriage is more social and economic than legal. To the poor and vulnerable section of the citizenry early marriage makes sense because it reduces the burden that poverty brings upon them and relieves the parents/guardians of the worries and agonies they face due to the insecurity and exposure to attacks upon their daughters. It has become a childish game here. And it happening silently, nobody noticing it properly, nobody can realize its massiveness. 
Girls have to kill their childhood and acting as a matured person. It is the main constraint of child development in the area. Patari is a bigger area so it deserves further large-scale study covering whole villages every respondent in a view to lessening early marriage for the development of our children and the national development as well. And this silent killing should be stopped as early as possible.

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