The history of mountain climbing in Bangladesh is a bit like the London bus service.

For nearly four decades, Bangladesh had no record of high-altitude climbers, but within a span of just two years, four individuals achieved the extraordinary feat of summiting Mount Everest. Remarkably, two of these climbers were women.

That surge in mountaineering success was long overdue, given the proximity of the Himalayas to Bangladesh.

The allure of the world's highest peak, located just a few hundred kilometers away, eventually sparked the curiosity and determination of adventurous individuals who sought to experience the challenges and rewards of mountaineering.

The pioneers of Bangladeshi mountaineering, Musa Ibrahim, MA Muhit, Nishat Majumder, and Wasfia Nazreen, all conquered Everest between 2010 and 2012.

Tragically, another accomplished mountaineer, Sajal Khalid, lost his life during his descent from the summit in 2013.

Then after a hiatus of eleven years, Babar Ali, a lanky, bearded doctor from Chattogram, reignited the spirit of Bangladeshi mountaineering by achieving the remarkable feat of summiting both Mount Everest and Mount Lhotse in a single expedition.

Musa Ibrahim

Musa Ibrahim accomplished the historic feat of becoming the first Bangladeshi to conquer Mount Everest on May 23, 2010.

He chose to ascend from the Tibetan side, a route known for its length but considered less treacherous than the Nepalese side.

Ibrahim's aspirations to conquer Everest began long before his successful expedition.

He officially declared his intention to climb the mountain in 2007, representing the North Alpine Club, his mountaineering and trekking organization.

Securing the necessary funding for the expedition proved to be a challenge, delaying his plans for three years.

During this time, he honed his skills and experience by successfully scaling Chulu West and Langshisha Ri in the Himalayas.

On May 8, Ibrahim embarked on his Everest expedition, departing from Naylam in Tibet.

The harsh climate of the region demanded a period of acclimatization, and he had to descend from the advanced base camp twice due to illness.

Undeterred, Ibrahim regained his strength and gradually made his way towards the summit. On May 19, equipped with oxygen tanks and essential gear, he and his team commenced their final ascent.

After days of relentless effort, Ibrahim reached the summit on May 23 at approximately 5:25 am Nepal time, etching his name in the annals of mountaineering history.

MA Muhit

MA Muhit, regarded as the toughest climber within Bangladesh's small mountaineering community, humbly deflects such recognition.

He achieved the remarkable feat of summiting Mount Everest on May 21, 2011, nearly a year after Musa Ibrahim's historic ascent.

Muhit's initial attempt to conquer Everest in May 2010 was thwarted by adverse weather conditions, forcing him to retreat from base camp. Undeterred, he returned the following year, better prepared for the challenges ahead.

On May 12, 2011, Muhit embarked on his Everest expedition from the Tibetan side, leading a seven-member team from the Bangla Mountaineering and Trekking Club (BMTC). Despite the team effort, he was the sole member to reach the summit.

Muhit's familiarity with the terrain from his previous attempt, coupled with his experience scaling Cho-Oyo, the world's sixth-highest peak, proved invaluable during his second ascent.

However, harsh weather conditions near the summit delayed his progress, leaving him stranded at North Col for hours.

On May 21 of the same year, at approximately 6:20 am, Muhit finally conquered Everest, marking a significant achievement in his mountaineering career.

Notably, he holds the unique distinction of descending Everest twice, once from each side.

In May 2012, Muhit returned to Everest, this time approaching from the Nepalese side. On May 19, he reached the summit alongside Nishat Majumder, the first Bangladeshi woman to achieve this remarkable feat.

Nishat Majumder

The tale of a reserved 31-year-old accountant conquering Mount Everest could easily be the plot of a captivating film. However, Nishat Majumder's story is not fiction but a testament to human resilience and determination.

On May 19, 2012, at 9:39 am, she etched her name in history by becoming the first Bangladeshi woman to reach the summit of the world's highest mountain.

Nishat's journey to the top began on April 9, alongside fellow mountaineer MA Muhit, as part of an expedition organized by their club, the Bangla Mountaineering and Trekking Club (BMTC).

During their ascent, Nishat faced a harrowing experience on April 27 while traversing from camp 1 to camp 2.

A sudden and intense snow storm struck without warning, leaving her vulnerable. The force of the storm swept her off her path, but she managed to cling onto the ice sheets with all her might, narrowly escaping a potentially fatal fall into a crevasse.

Despite this near-death experience, Nishat's resolve remained unshaken. She refused to give up on her dream of conquering Everest and ultimately emerged victorious.

Wasfia Nazreen

Despite facing setbacks like a delayed summit attempt, a devastating avalanche at 7,470 meters, and a forced retreat to base camp, Wasfia Nazreen persevered to become the fourth Bangladeshi to conquer Mount Everest during one of the most challenging climbing seasons in history.

Her triumphant ascent occurred on May 26, 2012, at 6:29 am, solidifying her place among the nation's accomplished mountaineers.

Wasfia's journey began on March 26, 2012, with an initial summit attempt scheduled for May 18. However, adverse weather conditions and a destructive avalanche at camp 3 forced her and her team back to base camp, requiring them to restart their climb.

The most daunting obstacle awaited Wasfia at an elevation of 8,760 meters – the treacherous Hillary Step, a 40-foot vertical rock wall.

She reached this point after navigating the exposed Cornice Traverse, demonstrating exceptional skill and resilience. Despite the harsh weather, she successfully scaled the Hillary Step, ultimately reaching the summit.

Wasfia's mountaineering ambitions extended beyond Everest. In July 2011, she embarked on a mission to conquer the highest peaks of all seven continents.

Her determination and perseverance saw her complete this extraordinary feat in November 2015, earning her the prestigious title of National Geographic Adventurer of the Year for 2014-15.

Sajal Khalid

Mohammed Khaled Hossain, also known as Sajal Khaled, tragically passed away while descending from Mount Everest after successfully conquering it.

On May 20, 2013, Sajal reached the summit of Everest between 10:00 am and 11:00 am but sadly died in his tent later that day during his descent. The exact cause of his death remains unknown.

A native of Munshiganj, 35-year-old Sajal had studied information and multimedia technology in Germany. He was known for his diverse talents and interests.

Upon returning to Bangladesh in 2004, Sajal worked as an assistant director for renowned documentary filmmaker and journalist Kawser Mahmud on the project "Ekattorer Shobdoshena."

As a member of the Bangla Mountaineering and Trekking Club, he scaled Frey Mount (Sikkim-India), Sindhu Chuli Mount (Nepal), and Mera Mount (Nepal) alongside Musa Ibrahim in 2006.

In May 2011, Sajal attempted to climb Mount Everest from the north face through China's Tibet border. However, he was forced to stop at 23,000 feet due to altitude sickness caused by fluid accumulation in his lungs.

Babar Ali

Babar Ali, a determined and adventurous doctor from Chattagram, had long aspired to raise the Bangladeshi flag atop Mount Everest.

With a background in medicine from Chattagram Medical College, Babar's passion for mountaineering led him to conquer at least 11 Himalayan peaks before attempting the world's highest.

His adventurous spirit extended beyond mountaineering. A year prior, Babar embarked on a remarkable cycling journey from Srinagar in Kashmir to Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu, covering nearly 4,000 kilometers across 13 Indian states and union territories.

On April 1 this year, Babar set off for Nepal to pursue his Everest dream. After thorough preparation, he flew from Kathmandu to Lukla Airport on April 4, commencing his trek to Everest base camp, which he reached on April 10.

By April 26, he had acclimatized and reached camp 2, where he patiently waited for favorable weather conditions.

On May 14, Babar began his ascent from base camp, reaching camp 2 within the day. After two nights, he proceeded to camp 3 on May 18 and subsequently reached camp 4 on May 19.

The upper section of camp 4, situated at 26,000 feet, is notoriously known as the "death zone." Babar resumed his climb at midnight on May 18 and triumphantly reached the summit of Mount Everest at 29,032 feet by dawn on May 19.

In an extraordinary feat, Babar conquered Mount Lhotse, the world's fourth-highest mountain, just two days later, becoming the first Bangladeshi to achieve this remarkable double ascent.