World Cultures eJournal

This study compares ideal age ascription across family life Muslim and Santal cultures in rural Bangladesh. We hypothesized that age ascription for family life situation occurs earlier in the Santal culture than in the Muslim culture in rural Bangladesh. One hundred couples (70 Muslim and 30 Santal) were selected by cluster random sampling from the Kalna village situated in the Tanore Upazila of Rajshahi district, Bangladesh, and were intensively interviewed by author. Results reveal significant differences in ideal age assignment between the Muslim and Santal communities. Further cross-cultural study should be done how socio-cultural factors influence variations in ideal age status assignment between the two communities in Bangladesh.