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Intergenerational transmission of parenting practices is a new dimension of research in Bangladesh. This study used a social cognitive theory framework along with a theory of urbanization and a theory of modernization to examine the continuity of protective parenting practices across two generations. A cross-sectional hermeneutic phenomenological study design was followed from a social constructivist paradigm. Eleven maternal grandmothers (G1) and 11 mothers (G2) were purposively selected from Mirpur, Dhaka, Bangladesh. Data were collected through semi-structured, in-depth interviews. The mothers learned protective parenting practices from the grandmother generation through direct instruction, experience, observation, and modeling within an interaction of various social elements. Protective parenting practices were found to be essential and persisted with some modifications despite modernization. Based on the findings, a process model of intergenerational continuity of parenting practices has been offered, which depicts intergenerational learning within a transitional social context.

Background Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a global public health concern, with women in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) bearing a disproportionately high burden. This study investigates the prevalence and factors correlated with attitudes regarding wife-beating among Bangladeshi women in urban–rural contexts. Methods A sample of 13,033 urban women and 51,344 rural women data from the Bangladesh Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) 2019 were analyzed using the Chi-square test and ordinal logistic regression model. Results The findings reveal that arguing with her husband is the widespread reason for wife-beating in Bangladesh (urban: 17.3%, rural: 21.9%), followed by neglecting the children (urban: 12.7%, rural: 15.8%). About 8% of urban women and 10% of rural women favoured the opinion that refusing to involve sexual intercourse is a legitimate justification for wife-beating. In comparison, around 5% feel that a husband has a right to beat his wife due to burning food. The respondents’ age, education, marital status, number of children, socioeconomic level, any health or physical difficulty, having problems becoming pregnant, and the husband’s age are all significant factors in justifying wife-beating. Conclusions Bangladesh has a massive challenge in eliminating IPV. Women from lower socioeconomic classes, low levels of education, other challenges, and residents of rural areas are particularly more vulnerable than their urban counterparts. Therefore, it is vital to develop a proper action plan that considers women’s education and occupation to raise awareness of the various implications of wife-beating in women, particularly in Bangladesh’s rural areas.

Background Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a severe issue in many low-and middle-income countries and remains a persistent public health problem. Research suggests that controlling attitudes by husbands can increase the risk of women experiencing IPV. To delve deeper into this issue, this study aims to investigate the relationship between women’s autonomy and their approval of IPV against women. Methods This study utilized the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS) 2017-18, a cross-sectional nationally representative survey consisting of 20,127 ever-married women aged 15–49. Both unadjusted and adjusted associations between acceptance of IPV against women and four dimensions of autonomy— economic decision-making, self-health-related decision-making, freedom of movement, and non-threatening sexual agreement within partnerships—were investigated. Chi-square tests were used to assess bivariate associations, followed by Cramer’s V to measure the strength of these associations. A multivariable binary logistic regression model was then applied to estimate adjusted associations. Results One in every five women approved of IPV. Among the four dimensions of women’s autonomy, women having autonomy in self-health care had the lowest prevalence in accepting IPV (6.52%). Except for self-economic decision autonomy, the other three dimensions of women’s autonomy showed a significant unadjusted or preliminary association with the perception of approving IPV (p-value < 0.01). Women who shared control over their earnings with their husbands, rather than exercising solo control, demonstrated higher odds of approving IPV (AOR 1.16, p-value 0.04). Additionally, women lacking the final say on important household purchases and visits to close relatives exhibited increased odds of approving IPV compared to those with sole decision-making power (AOR 1.35, p-value < 0.001; AOR 1.37, p-value < 0.001, respectively). Conversely, women who lacked the final say on their own health care were less likely to approve of IPV compared to those with sole decision-making authority (AOR 0.60, p-value < 0.001). Conclusion This study highlighted that a significant number of women in Bangladesh approve of violence by their husbands, which could be a major obstacle to the reduction of violence in society. Further, the results indicate a significant correlation between women’s autonomy—in terms of decision-making, mobility, freedom from threatening sexual relations with their husbands, and access to and control over economic resources— and their approval of IPV. Strengthening women’s autonomy emerges as a vital strategy for decreasing the acceptance of IPV, advancing gender equality, and enhancing the overall well-being of women.

Background Despite high prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) and its adverse social and health consequences, the rate of help seeking for IPV is generally low. Although the level of IPV is much higher in urban slums of Bangladesh, the level and nature of help seeking of the victims are unknown. This paper aims to address this gap in the literature. Methods Using a cross-sectional survey conducted between August 2011-February 2012, we explored disclosure of violence, help seeking behavior, and their correlates among randomly selected currently married women aged 15–29 in Dhaka slums ( n  = 2604). Results About 60 % of the currently married women reported past year spousal physical violence, but only 21 % disclosed and 19 % sought any help. High acceptance of violence was the main reason for not seeking help. Help was most commonly sought from informal sources (89 %). Any education, frequent and severe physical abuse, and presence of children increased the likelihood of disclosure and help seeking. Most survivors from slum who disclosed also sought help. Conclusions Despite widespread physical abuse, many survivors never sought help. Wide acceptance of violence hampering help seeking needs to be challenged. Increasing disclosure would also enhance help seeking. Awareness rising regarding rights of women to live a violence free life is essential. Although many services are available in the urban area, information about these services needs to be available to women. Promoting education is important in increasing both disclosure and service uptake.

Introduction Mental health conditions are emerging concerns that were worsened by Covid-19, especially in developing countries. The pandemic instigated an increase in household stress particularly among migrant women living in urban slums due to overcrowding, increased caregiving burden, and intimate partner violence, resulting in deteriorating mental health. This study assessed the prevalence of mental health conditions and intimate partner violence during Covid-19 and also explored the pathways between pandemic-related household stress and mental health outcomes with the mediating role of crowding and intimate partner violence in the Bangladeshi urban slums. Method The cross-sectional survey was conducted among internal migrant women from five slums of Urban Health and Demographic Surveillance Systems operated by International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh. Face-to-face interviews were conducted from August to October 2022 using a semi-structured questionnaire that had three validated screening tools to measure depression, anxiety and intimate partner violence. A path analysis using structural equation modelling with maximum likelihood methods was performed to understand the objectives. Result Among the total 405 participants, the majority of women (68.40%) were housewives and their husbands (46.43%), were engaged as daily wagers. A large portion of the women (38.77%) had only primary education and one-third of the surveyed women (36.5%) reported increased household stress due to Covid-19. About 71% of women experienced an event of intimate partner violence with reports of emotional (57.3%), physical (49.4%), and sexual violence (39.0%). The prevalence of anxiety and depression were 73.8% and 65.2%, respectively. The structural equation modelling path analysis revealed that household stress increased the likelihood of anxiety and depression. Moreover, household stress has a direct effect on anxiety, while it has an indirect effect on both anxiety and depression with these effects mediated by intimate partner violence. Conclusion These novel baseline findings may support the relevant stakeholders to design further research and programmes to strengthen emergency preparedness for the women living in informal settlements of Urban Bangladesh. A rights-based approach, as has been shown effective elsewhere, may offer a strategy to enhance the overall well-being.

Rural agrarian societies, like Bangladesh, rely substantially on women as primary contributors to crop production. Their involvement covers a broad spectrum, from the first stage of seed sowing to the ultimate phase of marketing agricultural products. Information and communication technology (ICT) in agriculture could be a transformative tool for women’s agricultural involvement. Despite the inherent challenges associated with ICT adoption, it has emerged as an effective catalyst for improving the livelihoods of rural women in Bangladesh. This study investigates the impacts of ICT on the livelihoods of rural women. This study concurrently addresses the challenges that infringe upon its sustainability. The study was conducted within Oxfam Bangladesh’s ICT interventions implemented upon the women farmers in Dimla Upazila, Nilphamari, Bangladesh. We employed a mixed-methods research approach to examine the multilayered impacts of ICT on women farmers’ livelihoods. Our findings indicate that ICT support has improved the livelihoods of rural women through a comprehensive capital-building process encompassing human capital, social capital, financial capital, physical capital, and political capital, facilitated by creating an enabling environment. The study also unfolded several challenges stemming from aspects of ICT integration, including the disappearance of indigenous agroecological knowledge and the disruption of traditional multicropping practices. In light of the study’s outcomes, a key recommendation emerges, emphasizing the importance of integrating indigenous agroecological knowledge in the widescale implementation of ICT initiatives. Acknowledging and accommodating indigenous knowledge can enhance the sustainability of ICT-driven livelihood enhancements for rural women in Bangladesh.

Gender-based violence and harassment (GBVH) in the workplace are major issues that affect the work environment and employee well-being. These issues have received little attention from managers in the ready-made garments (RMG) factories or policymakers more generally in Bangladesh, despite the comprehensive approach to restructuring the industry following two devastating industrial accidents. This research examines the role played by RMG factory managers in eliminating gender-based violence and increasing positive work experiences and well-being in the workplace, and the policy initiatives from the government with the aim to stop workplace violence. The study uses qualitative methods—document analysis and semi-structured interviews. The findings reveal that measures to protect workers from GBVH are absent in employment regulation. Though there are high court directives on workplace harassment, these have not been implemented effectively. The findings show that women workers have faced longstanding GBVH, which has impacted their well-being. The increasing rate of women leaving RMG sector jobs reflects how women workers’ well-being issues have been disregarded within the factories.

Adolescents with disability in the Global South have unique sexual and reproductive health (SHR) experiences and needs; however, they are rarely included in SRH discourse. This qualitative study, conducted in rural Bangladesh, used semi-structured interviews to understand how adolescents with cerebral palsy (CP) experience their SRH. Participants were recruited from the Bangladesh Cerebral Palsy Register and included 24 adolescents with CP ( n  = 12 female; n  = 12 male) and 76 parents ( n  = 56 mothers, n  = 17 fathers, n  = 3 other relatives). Data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Findings highlighted heterogeneity among adolescents with CP including differences for adolescent men versus women. For some adolescent men with CP, sexual maturity was viewed as bringing new opportunities, whereas for other men, adolescence affirmed exclusions and some transgressed sociocultural norms as they struggled to navigate their pubescent body alongside new privacy requirements. For adolescent women with CP, sexual maturity was associated with new domestic responsibilities, silence and secrecy regarding menstruation, and increased vulnerability to sexual violence and abuse. Adolescent men and women with CP spoke about marriage as something “everybody wants,” however, was deemed “impossible” for those with more impairment-related support needs. Both adolescent men and women with CP lacked access to SRH information and support. Mothers positioned providing care to their adolescent child with CP after puberty as “shameful.” Our findings suggest that disability, health, and education services in rural Bangladesh need to adopt a life-course approach that incorporates the SRH of adolescents with CP. We recommend the provision of SRH education that addresses the physical, cognitive, and social needs of adolescents with CP.

This article explores how women empowerment affects Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) in Bangladesh using a cross-sectional investigation of currently married women ( n  = 4,181) sampled via the Bangladesh Demographic Health Survey (BDHS), 2007. About one-fourth (24%) of currently married Bangladeshi women experienced both physical and/or sexual IPV in the past year. Prevalence of physical and sexual violence was 19.4% and 10.5%, respectively. Younger generation (age 15–24), illiterate, rural, and the poorest household wealth categorized women were much victimized. Current employment status predicted intimate partner violence. Household decision-making pattern also emerged as a predictor of IPV. Likelihood of all forms of IPV increases with increase of number of participation in household decision-making. Promoting women empowerment in the household without men’s support may put women at more risk of IPV.

Many women justify intimate partner violence (IPV), resulting in adverse health outcomes. This study investigates the relationship between household ownership of information and communication technologies (ICTs), along with the frequency of listening to the radio and watching television with women’s attitudes towards IPV in Bangladesh. The cross-sectional study analyzed a weighted sample of 20,032 women and used a multivariable logistic regression analysis to determine the association between predictor variables and outcome variables. The results showed that 19.47% of women justified wife beating for at least one reason. We found that household ownership of computers (AOR = 0.73 [95% CI = 0.57, 0.95]), women in households with three ICTs (AOR = 0.67 [95% CI = 0.47, 0.96]), and women who watched television at least once a week (AOR = 0.85 [95% CI = 0.74, 0.97]) were associated with decreased odds of justifying wife beating for at least one reason after adjustment for the frequency of reading newspaper or magazine, age, wealth, education, religion, and type of place of residence. The study suggests that not all ICTs affect women’s attitudes toward IPV equally. Computers and television were more influential than other ICTs. This finding suggests that awareness-building and educational programs targeted towards women via computer and television may deliver better outcomes about gender norms.