Conjugal Relations and Stepchildren’s Well-being: Exploring the Experiences of Remarried Women in Bangladesh

Abstract

Drawing on qualitative research in Sylhet, Bangladesh, this article explores the patterns of conjugal relations of remarried women who have children from previous marriage(s). We are primarily concerned here with the potential impacts of remarriage for women and children’s well-being. Regardless of gendered identity, it continues to be the case that the majority of Bangladeshi people are married only once. However, remarriage and polygamy are not uncommon, and this tends to be particularly the case among people living in poverty. This study is based on ethnographic observation and life history interviews with 12 remarried women from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds. Drawing on this data, we argue that remarriage can render custodian mothers’ lives more difficult through the complex negotiation between the needs and desires of their new husbands versus the well-being of their children. The sociocultural structure of Bangladesh continues to be framed by specifically located patriarchy. In this context, women’s remarriage challenges normative conjugal relations, and the resulting intrafamilial negotiations can adversely affect both mothers’ and children’s well-being.

Parenting Practices and Child Mortality in Remarried/Repartnered Families in Cambodia

“…Additionally, based on this same patriarchal gender role framework, women who enter into subsequent marriages or partnerships tend to accept and are willing to accept their subordinate role to accommodate to the needs of the new husbands as a way to maintain their new marriages (Eng et al, 2017). This theoretical argument is aligned with a study in Bangladesh that concludes: “remarriage can render custodian mothers’ lives more difficult through the often tricky negotiation between the needs and desires of their new husbands versus the well-being of their children” (Choudhury & Sultana, 2018, p. 12). They also argue that these negotiations adversely impact the well-being of both mothers and their children.…”

Attitude Toward Lobola in Remarriage Following Divorce in African Communities

“…It becomes implicitly acceptable for men to engage in extramarital affairs, while women are compelled to remain loyal and faithful to their husbands. These women find themselves in a precarious position of having to conform to the values and norms of society for them (Moloko-Phiri et al 2016), lest they risk being deemed "incomplete" (Choudhury et al 2020). Therefore, women have a larger price to pay in case their marriage fails.…”