After years of progress in reducing the Total Fertility Rate (TFR) in the country from 6.3 in 1975 to 2.3 by 2012, a concerning development has been highlighted in the recent Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2025. The TFR has now increased to 2.4, indicating a reversal in the positive trend. Experts are raising alarms, emphasizing the urgent need for effective family planning and population policies to prevent adverse effects on the economy, education, health, and overall development.
According to the survey findings, the utilization of contraceptives among married women has decreased from 62.7 percent in 2019 to 58.2 percent. Additionally, access to modern contraceptive methods has also dropped, meeting only 73.5 percent of women’s needs, down from 77.4 percent in 2019. The rise in fertility rates is coupled with other concerning social indicators, such as the persistently high rate of child marriage among girls under 18, which stands at 56 percent in Bangladesh. Furthermore, there has been a notable increase in teenage childbearing, with 92 percent of adolescent girls aged 15-19 having already had children, up from 83 percent in 2019.
Despite these challenges, the survey does highlight positive advancements in health and nutrition. Institutional deliveries have increased to 71 percent, and skilled birth attendance has reached 77 percent, indicating significant enhancements in maternal health. The under-five mortality rate has decreased from 40 to 33 per 1,000 live births, with infant mortality also showing improvement from 34 to 29 per 1,000 live births. These improvements underscore the effectiveness of well-planned interventions and offer hope that targeted efforts in family planning could reverse the current fertility rate trend.
In light of these findings, there is a pressing need for the government to reassess its family planning initiatives and policies, emphasizing coordinated efforts across various ministries. Immediate actions should include strengthening family planning services, ensuring continuous availability of contraceptives, re-establishing outreach networks, and reinvigorating community engagement. Addressing child marriage should be a priority, with the implementation of support systems and incentives to encourage the retention of adolescent girls in school. Targeted awareness campaigns, particularly in economically disadvantaged areas, are also crucial. Failure to implement these urgent measures could jeopardize the substantial progress achieved in population control and management over the years.