Background and Objective:
For effective resource allocation and planning and implementation of public health strategies, registration of births and deaths is important. Despite Bangladesh having laws mandating birth and death registration, in practice, women and girls are often excluded from their births and deaths being registered. The current research explores the barriers to birth and death registration in Bangladesh and the contributing factors that lead to lower registration among women.

Methods:
This qualitative study was conducted in selected urban and rural locations covering both low and high sex disparities in births and deaths (Dhaka, Dhaka North City Corporation, Thakurgaon, Gaibandha, Satkhira, Kutubdia and Sunamganj) between October and November of 2022. Total 33 Key informant interviews with implementers and 13 FGDs with male and female adult populations were held. The data was analysed using the content analysis method, and patterns and themes were identified.

Results:
Poor awareness, perceived unnecessity, complex, tedious administrative approval process, accumulated financial burden, social and religious norms and practices, and poor technological and human resources’ support delay and discourage both birth and death registrations. Child marriage causes lower birth registrations among women. Men being socially and legally expected inheritor demotivates and leads to lower death registrations among women.

Conclusion:
Barriers contributed by both implementers and beneficiaries must be addressed to improve birth and death registration in Bangladesh, particularly among women. More awareness about death registrations needs to be made. Interventions and policies need to be gender sensitive and strengthened to increase the number of registrations, especially death.