The ‘fallen stars’ of Bangladesh
Like many little girls, Popy likes stuffed animals. The 8-year-old carries her teddy bear everywhere — even to work, where she sorts garbage at a dumping ground in Chittagong, Bangladesh.
“This photo hurts me and inspires me,” says photographer Md Shahnewaz Khan, referring to the first image above that shows Popy clutching her bear close to her heart, reports CNN.
Khan took the picture a year ago as part of his “Fallen Stars” series. At the time, Popy worked nine hours per day. Her family could not afford to send her to school.
“Three years ago, Popy and her family migrated from an island in the Bay of Bengal to the slums,” Khan said.
The photographer began documenting child workers four years ago. He has since taken thousands of photos, fueled by his curiosity and empathy for working children.