Bangladesh is one of the most densely populated countries in the world, as well as one of the poorest. Once a seat of the Moghul Empire, and more recently known as East Pakistan, Bangladesh emerged as an independent state in 1971.
The fertile beauty of Bangladesh is underscored with tragedy. Every year cyclones and monsoon rains devastate the country - rivers swell and burst their banks and thousands of lives and homes are lost in the floods.
Most of Bangladesh's population is involved in farming, but there is not enough work for everyone. With little government funding for education, over half the population is illiterate, and their options are limited.
As the urban population rises, increasing numbers of children throng the streets. Many work in factories, and sleep in the open or in slums and squatter settlements. These children live on the forgotten margins of society, exposed to abuse and exploitation.