Photojournalism: Child Marriage & Sex Trafficking in Bangladesh: cm_br_asj-22

The room of Namira is seen at a brothel. She was married at 14 and came to the brothel at 15. ‘My favourite thing in the world is my doll, Mimi. My mother bought her for me on Valentines Day this year. I used to have so many more dolls and teddies – like, what you can see here is nothing. My childhood was perfect. I wish I could go back in time and be a kid again. That’s definitely why I still have so many toys. It helps me pretend none of this is happening to me. My mum knows I work here, and she hates it, but there’s no alternative right now. She used to be a sex worker when she was my age too, so she understands how bad it is. But she also knows that sometimes, girls don’t get a choice. When I was 12, my father and brother died, and I went to stay with a new family to work as a maid. One of the sons would torture me – tying me up and raping me again and again and again. When I escaped and ran back to my mum, it was too late; I was already pregnant. Abortions are easy to arrange here, but afterwards, the only option is to get married to whoever will take you. The only man who would take me was a gambler who lost all the dowry in a bet. After the ceremony, he started torturing me so that my mum would agree to pay more in exchange for my safety – but she didn’t have any money. I think that was the moment when I knew I’d have to come here. I thought, ‘my life is already ruined – at least this way, I’ll be able to support myself.’ So I asked for a divorce, and took a rickshaw to the brothel. That was a year and four months ago – and I’ve regretted it every day since.’

The room of Namira is seen at a brothel. She was married at 14 and came to the brothel at 15. ‘My favourite thing in the world is my doll, Mimi. My mother bought her for me on Valentines Day this year. I used to have so many more dolls and teddies – like, what you can see here is nothing. My childhood was perfect. I wish I could go back in time and be a kid again. That’s definitely why I still have so many toys. It helps me pretend none of this is happening to me.  

My mum knows I work here, and she hates it, but there’s no alternative right now. She used to be a sex worker when she was my age too, so she understands how bad it is. But she also knows that sometimes, girls don’t get a choice. When I was 12, my father and brother died, and I went to stay with a new family to work as a maid. One of the sons would torture me – tying me up and raping me again and again and again. When I escaped and ran back to my mum, it was too late; I was already pregnant. Abortions are easy to arrange here, but afterwards, the only option is to get married to whoever will take you.  

The only man who would take me was a gambler who lost all the dowry in a bet. After the ceremony, he started torturing me so that my mum would agree to pay more in exchange for my safety – but she didn’t have any money. I think that was the moment when I knew I’d have to come here. I thought, ‘my life is already ruined – at least this way, I’ll be able to support myself.’ So I asked for a divorce, and took a rickshaw to the brothel. That was a year and four months ago – and I’ve regretted it every day since.’