This paper focuses on fertility transition in Bangladesh through educational differentials in fertility levels and trends using the nationwide data of 2004 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey. It has also
been attempted to detect the relative contribution of several factors on the number of children ever born. The results show that fertility declined considerably with women’s education. This relationship also held even after controlling the other factors such as place of residence, region and household wealth status. All of the factors included in the study showed significant effect on the children ever born. Total fertility rate (TFR) and total marital fertility rate (TMFR) were found higher among the rural women than in urban women, irrespective of education. The TFR found over five births per illiterate woman in Sylhet and Chittagong Divisions, which is far above the national average. The illiterate and poor women had the highest TFR (4.1), whereas a secondary educated rich woman had the lowest TFR in Khulna and Rajshahi Divisions. The TFR was close to replacement level for those who had secondary education, came from rich household and lived
in urban areas. These findings suggest that compulsory higher free education (Government of Bangladesh educational policy) is necessary to bring further reduction of fertility in Bangladesh