Nazmul Haque Himel: From haor waters to the English Channel

Nazmul Haque Himel, a swimmer from the remote haor region of Nikli in Kishoreganj, has made history by conquering the English Channel -- a 33.4-kilometer stretch of treacherous water separating England and France – alongside another national swimmer, Mahfizur Rahman Sagor.

With this feat accomplished on July 29, Himel and Sagor became the first Bangladeshis to complete the feat in 37 years, joining the ranks of Brojen Das, Abdul Malek and Mosharraf Hossain.

It took Himel and Sagor 12 hours and 20 minutes to complete the swim. Battling strong waves, sea sickness, cold water between 15-19°C, and even jellyfish, their success is a testament to endurance and determination. "Crossing the English Channel was my dream," Himel told this correspondent during a visit to his village home. "When I finally made it, all the fatigue disappeared. It was an indescribable feeling."

Born in 1989 in Mirhati village of Nikli, Himel is the third of four siblings in a middle-class family deeply rooted in swimming. His father, Abul Hashem, a national swimmer in the 1980s, introduced Himel to the sport in 1997 and coached him through the Nikli Swimming Club. "Nazmul had confidence," Hashem said. "But he also worked extremely hard. To train for the cold, he sat in drums filled with ice for hours."

Himel's swimming journey is decorated with 26 gold and 21 silver medals from 1998 to 2008. He also holds six national age-group records. Yet, an Olympic dream remained unfulfilled. "No one from our family made it to the Olympics," he said. "So we planned to achieve something big -- and this was it."

His success has inspired his community, though it also highlights a long-standing need: a proper swimming pool in Nikli. Despite producing many accomplished swimmers, the area still relies on ponds for training. "We've been demanding a swimming pool for years," said locals.

Nikli Upazila Nirbahi Officer Rehana Majumdar Mukti acknowledged the issue and promised action: "Nazmul's achievement has raised the reputation of our haor. We will reach out to the district sports authorities to develop local talent."

The English Channel has long been a symbol of challenge in the swimming world. The first Bangladeshi to cross it was Brojen Das in 1958, followed by Abdul Malek (1965) and Mosharraf Hossain (1988). Now, after nearly four decades, Himel and Sagor have brought that honour home once again.