Shamima started to tell us her story. Listening to her, we were stunned and at the same time our hearts were filled with admiration for her. It was 1995. Shamima was 15 years old. She got promoted to class 8. Shamima had all the dreams of an adolescent. She wanted to bring about a change in her life. She wanted to see happiness in her family too. She knew she could fulfill her dream by completing her education and getting a good job.

Fifteen-year old Shamima's dreams were nipped in the bud. Her father wanted to marry her off against her will. Marrying off a girl under 18 is against the law in Bangladesh. Shamima did not want to get married. But nobody paid any heed to her. They arranged her marriage with a man much older than her. All her tears and protests went in vain. Shamima was married off to Kamal Uddin Joardar.