Maintenance (Khorposh) Rights in Bangladesh After Divorce and Separation
Maintenance causes more confusion in family disputes than almost any other right, partly because people assume it is either automatic and permanent, or not available at all. The reality sits in between, and knowing the actual rules helps both sides reach a fair result faster.
Who is entitled to maintenance in Bangladesh?
A wife is generally entitled to maintenance (khorposh) from her husband during the marriage and, for Muslims, during the iddat period after divorce. Children are entitled to maintenance from their father. Claims are pursued in the Family Court, which can order regular payments. Dower is a separate right.
A wife’s maintenance
During a subsisting marriage, a husband is ordinarily obliged to maintain his wife. After a Muslim divorce, maintenance generally continues through the iddat period. The precise entitlement depends on the personal law and the facts, which is why it is worth confirming rather than assuming.
Children’s maintenance
A father is ordinarily responsible for the maintenance of his children, and that responsibility does not end with the parents’ relationship. This is often the most important and enduring maintenance question in a separation.
How much, and how it is enforced
There is no fixed figure. The Family Court weighs the claimant’s reasonable needs against the payer’s means and can order regular periodic payments, revisiting them if circumstances change. Because it is fact-driven, evidence of needs and of means is what decides these claims.
Maintenance and dower are separate
Maintenance is not the same as dower (mahr). Dower is an agreed sum owed as a term of the marriage; maintenance is ongoing support. A wife may be entitled to both, and pursuing one does not waive the other.
Where this firm fits
Maintenance, dower, and the wider issues of divorce and custody are handled within the firm’s family law practice. If maintenance is owed to you, or claimed from you, an early, realistic assessment helps far more than a drawn-out fight, speak with the advocate.
This article is general information, not legal advice. For your specific matter, speak with the advocate.
Frequently asked questions
Who is entitled to maintenance in Bangladesh?
A wife is generally entitled to maintenance (khorposh) from her husband during the marriage and, for Muslims, during the iddat period after divorce. Children are entitled to maintenance from their father. Claims are pursued in the Family Court, which can order regular payments. Dower is a separate right.
How is the amount of maintenance decided?
The Family Court sets maintenance by weighing the claimant's reasonable needs against the payer's means and standard of living. There is no single fixed figure; it is assessed on the facts, and the court can order regular periodic payments and revisit them if circumstances change.
Is maintenance the same as dower?
No. Maintenance (khorposh) is ongoing financial support for living costs. Dower (mahr) is a separate, agreed sum the husband owes the wife as a term of the marriage. A wife can be entitled to both, and claiming one does not give up the other.