Islam and Family Planning Acceptance in Bangladesh

One frequently cited barrier to more widespread adoption of family planning in Moslem countries is religious opposition. To examine the depth and extent of such opposition in Bangladesh, 106 men who had been identified by their wives as religiously opposed to family planning were interviewed. Unexpectedly, 26 percent of the "opposing" husbands reported that they were current users of a contraceptive and an additional 50 percent, although not practicing, said they were in favor of family planning. Of the alleged "opposers," only 23 percent said they opposed family planning on religious grounds. One-fourth of this last group were able to cite specific islamic injunctions against family planning. It appears on the basis of these data, which were collected in the religiously conservative area of Lakshimipur, that the perception of widespread Islamic-based resistance to contraception in Bangladesh is not founded in fact.