Fertility Decline in Bangladesh: Understanding Demographic Components and Socioeconomic Correlates

S. M. Mostafa Kamal, Islamic University

This paper aimed to quantify the contribution of demographic components in fertility decline of Bangladesh using the 1993-1994 and 2007 Bangladesh Demographic Health Survey. It also investigated the factors affecting fertility. To understand the contribution of demographic components, we applied decomposition technique developed by Kitagawa. The TFR decreased by 0.7 births per woman during 1993 to 2007. The lion’s share is attributed to change in marital fertility. Marital change contributed a little in fertility decline in the study period. The multivariate regression analyses identified several variables as important determinants of fertility such as women’s education, place of residence, inter-spousal communication on family planning, toilet facility, child mortality, contraceptive use and age at first marriage. Programs should aim to raise females’ age at first marriage, to enhance women’s education and opportunities for their jobs. Efforts should be made to strengthen family planning program that needs for extra cutback to reduce fertility at replacement level.