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Musa Ibrahim, a sub-editor of The Daily Star, and Tawhid Hossain hold the Bangladesh flag along with other climbers at the peak of Annapurna IV, which they conquered without supplementary oxygen. Photo: STARIt was 11:54am Nepalese time on June 14. Two Bangladeshi mountaineers achieved a feat many compatriots dreamt of. Musa Ibrahim and Tawhid Hossain conquered the Mt Annapurna IV, a Himalayan peak at the height of 24,682ft, as first Bangladeshis without supplementary oxygen after tremendous hardship.
They were accompanied by Nepalese climber Sarin Prakash Pradhan. All three are members of the North Alpine Club Bangladesh (NACB).
There was shivering cold with 2-3 degrees Celsius, mighty wind, continuous snowfall and whiteout. And there were chances of falling into crevasse and avalanches, the height and the acute mountain sickness. But teamwork was the key factor that beat all odds.
Sherpa Sardar Som Bahadur Tamang, Ganesh Magar and two-time Everest climber Sherpa Kailash Tamang were in the lead to set the route from camps one and two to the summit. High altitude cook Tashi Tamang and porter Sardar Dawa Tamang were the next great help in achieving the feat.
A support team of 22 porters and three sherpas had started the journey from Kathmandu on May 29, the day that commemorates Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay's climbing the Mt Everest. The team reached the Annapurna IV base camp at 15,091ft height on June 03.
The three NACB members reached the base camp on June 08.
The sherpas established camp one at a height of 17,716 ft on June 06 and camp two at a height of 21,817ft on June 08. After resting on June 09, the NACB team moved for camp one on June 11. Having a training on climbing rock and ice the team reached camp two the next day.
It was approximately 2:30am on June 14 when the final ascent to the top of Annapurna IV started. The six-member team moved with headlamps and full climbing gears. But the team got stuck halfway from camp two to the summit as all of a sudden a 6ft crevasse gaped ahead of them.
The sherpas had to open a new route. Climbers had nothing to do but wait for around two hours, standing on an ice wall of 60 degrees gradient and braving snowfall with strong wind.
Finally, group leader Musa Ibrahim--a sub-editor of The Daily Star, Tawhid Hossain and Sarin Prakash Pradhan reached the summit of Annapurna IV at a height of 24,682ft without supplementary oxygen. They flew the Bangladesh national flag as a new history for Bangladesh was recorded.
Another group of NACB, consisting of Dhrubo Jyoti Ghosh Mukul, MH Jaiedi Tusher, Abdul Halim, Munira Farzana Tania and Sk Badruddin Omar, finished the amazing Annapurna Circuit trek that started on May 29.
The NACB team is supposed to reach Kathmandu on June 20 and Dhaka on June 25.
Navana Group was the title sponsor for the NACB's endeavour. Mattra, Summit Group, Kohinoor Chemicals, and Destiny Group co-sponsored the trekking while Channel i was its media partner. Incitaa Tourism and Muktinath Holiday's Pvt Ltd were the event partners.
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Thursday, June 18, 2009 10:56 AM GMT+06:00 (22 weeks ago)
I am really happy to learn about the endeavor they made with the name of Bangladesh. As I love mountains I know that every summit has a sheer pain and joy like giving birth of a child! I am really surprised to see that our mountaineer claimed they have started their summit push on 14th June 2:30am and reached the crest in a same day from a height of 21,817 ft even they had to face troublesome crevasse on the way to summit! I really wonder how fast the team could climb at that altitude so that they have reached to the top only in few days from Basecamp.
As far as the route is concern its a dedicated 16 to 20 days climbing route for the summit of Annapurna IV (from BC to BC). Again the time our mountaineer has chosen to start their bid it was quite optimistic. Since from the classic Annapurna I French expedition (1950) which was the first ever successful expedition to any 8,000, expedition leader Maurice Herzog was about to killed due to the delayed of the climbing period as monsoon has already out broke. Climbing in Annapurna region is not at all suitable during monsoon even then our mountaineers could tackle their fate and climbed the mighty mountain with that very short span of time! For this mountain a standard itinerary says it takes nearly 40 days from the start to end including 16-20 days climbing period from Basecamp to Basecamp and establishing 3 or more camps after the Basecamp.
Another article has been published in DS on 9 June 2009 reported by the same person from the same place where from he wrote today's report. But in this report he said they have reached to Basecamp on 8 June. My question is how does he do that? As far the standard itinerary is concerns Chame is far away from the Basecamp (BC) which will take nearly another 3 days (Day 05: Besisahar - Nagdi
Day 06: Nagdi - Jagat | Day 07: Jagat - Tal | Day 08: Tal - Chame | Day 09: Chame - Pisang |
Day 10: Pisang - Sabji Khola | Day 11: Sabji Khola - Annapurna 4 th Base camp) to reach to the BC. In a same way how fast does he decent to Chame and write this report within 4 days after the summit? And how can the team reached to BC on 8th and write a report from Chame on 9th?
Another thing, reporter Mr.Musa Ibrahim have mentioned that the other team of 5 have successfully finished the amazing Annapurna Circuit trek but as I know Mr. Dhrubo Jyoti Ghosh-who is still in Nepal and other members of the team came back to Dhaka before completing the course- MH Jaiedi Tusher (team member of the trekking team) confirmed.
Few days ago we have found another interesting article in The Daily Prothom Alo regarding mountaineering in Bangladesh, where it was clearly written previous expedition lead by the same person who lead this expedition. That article was written by his team member and also he was member of the most of the expeditions claimed successful summit without reaching to the top.
Years back after claiming successful summit of Mt. Chulu West, he wrote many articles to many news papers but after some days he has published the real story of the expedition, where he confess they could not summit that peak but claimed that instantly due to media manic behavior.
After this summit ISPR wrote a complain letter after their news expressing some facts about heights mountains ever climbed by any Bangladesh till that day. But they tactful managed that complain.
Thursday, June 18, 2009 03:19 PM GMT+06:00 (22 weeks ago)
A great achievement and something special we can cheer for.
Thursday, June 18, 2009 04:42 AM GMT+06:00 (22 weeks ago)
great job well done guys... i am proud of you
Thursday, June 18, 2009 07:21 AM GMT+06:00 (22 weeks ago)
Thank you for the bravery, you are true Bangladeshis.
Thursday, June 18, 2009 07:53 AM GMT+06:00 (22 weeks ago)
Great news for DS and the county. Hope to hear more such success stories emanting from Bangladesh. Despite the obsession with Pakistan, Bangladesh should focus on such issues and keep a higher media profile outside Bangladesh.
Sunday, June 21, 2009 11:02 AM GMT+06:00 (22 weeks ago)
Congratulation Musa.It is hard to stop us.
Sunday, June 21, 2009 12:18 PM GMT+06:00 (22 weeks ago)
NACB nd Musa Ibrahim rocks.
Monday, July 6, 2009 08:54 AM GMT+06:00 (20 weeks ago)
Delighted to read this wonderful news item. Heartiest congratulations to the two Bangladeshi climbers. Hope this first ever feat of conquering a Himalayan peak by our courageous duo will inspire the nation to climb new heights in rule of law,good governance and democratic polity.
Friday, July 10, 2009 05:24 PM GMT+06:00 (19 weeks ago)
Wow,it's great.congratulation to you all. I'm really proud of you guys.You all are looking brilliant on photo.well done.
Sunday, June 21, 2009 02:00 PM GMT+06:00 (22 weeks ago)
Congratulation both of him its really great. They are our pride.Take care.
Mahfuz
photographer
Thursday, June 18, 2009 11:06 PM GMT+06:00 (22 weeks ago)
Delighted to learn about this great achievement. I am looking forward to NACB's successful climb of Mt. Everest in the near future.