TBT Desk : Ikramul Hasan Shakil, the first Bangladeshi mountaineer to successfully complete the "Great Himalaya Trail," has now embarked on a mission to set a world record. His aim is to become the youngest climber to reach Everest from sea level by covering the longest distance in the shortest time.
PRAN, the country's leading food brand, is proudly supporting him as the title sponsor on this historic journey while the popular noodles brand Mr. Noodles has joined as the snacks partner for this historic expedition.
On Sunday, Mountaineer Shakil shared insight into his "Sea to Summit" journey during a press conference held at Gulshan, Dhaka.
In his address, Shakil said, he began his expedition on February 25 from Inani Sea Beach of Cox's Bazar, aiming to reach the summit within 90 days on foot. After traversing through Feni, Cumilla and Munshiganj he has now arrived in Dhaka. His journey will take him through Bangladesh, India, and Nepal, covering a challenging 1,300-kilometer route before ascending Everest's 29,031-foot-high summit.
Through this journey, Shakil aspires to surpass the record set by Australian mountaineer Tim Macartney, who in 1990, took more than three months to walk from Ganga Sagar, India, to Everest's summit, setting a world record.
Shakil also mentioned that along his journey, he will raise awareness about plastic pollution, waste management, carbon emission reduction, and sustainable environmental solutions. He expressed his appreciation to PRAN Group for their support, noting that if prominent corporate entities like PRAN come forward, young dreamers of Bangladesh will be encouraged to achieve even greater milestones.
Kamruzzaman Kamal, Director (Marketing) of Pran-RFL Group, said, "PRAN is a leading Bangladeshi brand. We always support initiatives that bring pride to our country. That's why PRAN is backing this incredible expedition by a young Bangladeshi mountaineer. Seeing Bangladesh's flag flying at the highest point on Earth, with PRAN's name associated with it, is truly a joyous occasion for us."
He added, "We wish Shakil all the success in his expedition. We want the youth of our country to dream bigger, and PRAN will always be there to support them."
The historic expedition is organized by the Bangla Mountaineering and Trekking Club (BMTC). United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Makalu E-Traders Nepal, and Systema Toothbrush have also joined as associate sponsors.

Ikramul Hasan Shakil had previously gained recognition as the first Bangladeshi to successfully complete the 1,700-kilometer-long 'Great Himalaya Trail' in Nepal, a remarkable achievement accomplished by only 33 climbers globally so far.

Enam Ul Haque, the Founder of BMTC, M A Mohit, President of BMTC and two-time Everest summiteer, Md Abdul Quayyum, Head of Communications of UNDP, Tonmoy Datta Gupta, Marketing Director of Lion Kallol Ltd (Systema Toothbrush) and Toshan Paul, General Manager of Mr. Noodles were also present at the press conference.