It all began on the 50th anniversary of man’s Everest summit in 2003 when Nishat Majumder, first Bangladeshi woman Everest conqueror, went to the country’s highest
peak Keokradong to attend a programme.
The now 31-year-old accountant came back from Keokradong, all inspired to climb to the top of the world.
“She became enthusiastic about mountaineering after travelling in Bandarban,” Ashura Majumder, proud mother of Nishat, told The Daily Star yesterday.
Nishat and her fellow mountaineer MA Muhit were descending from Everest and were expected to reach the base camp today (Monday) and Kathmandu in five days. Nishat
began her Everest expedition on April 9 from Kathmandu. She reached the summit on Saturday.
They are expected to arrive in Dhaka next Saturday or Sunday, said Enam Ul Haque, president of Bangla Mountaineering and Trekking Club (BMTC), which organised the
expedition. He said, “Pemba Dorje Sherpa has informed me over the phone around 1:00pm today (Sunday) that Nishat and Muhit were physically well and that they were on
the way to the base camp.”
Nishat’s father Abdul Mannan said, “It was one of the happiest moments in my life, when I heard that Nishat had succeeded in reaching the summit.”
Mannan said Nishat had set another example that women could do everything, given a favourable environment. “Her success will urge all Bangladeshi women to come out of
religious and social bigotries and prove their skills,” he said.
“We, from our family, always encouraged and supported Nishat, which may be the key factor for her success,” said mother Ashura.
Bangladesh Astronomical Association had arranged the programme at the peak of Keokradong, Bandarban, to encourage Bangladeshi youths in climbing Mount Everest. The
programme was held on 29 May, 2003, and exactly 50 years ago to that day Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay had conquered Mount Everest.
Nishat as a member of the association had joined the programme. “Many youths were inspired by that event,” said association member Mir Shamsul Alam Baboo, who was also
there.
Joining BMTC in December 2003, Nishat continued trekking and taking part in expeditions with fellow members of the club.
In 2007, Nishat took part in a training programme in Darjeeling Mountaineering Club, said Baboo.
She climbed Singu Chuli peak of the Himalayas in 2008. She took part in Makalu Expedition-2009 jointly launched by Bangladesh and India. Nishat conquered Nepal-
Bangladesh Friendship Peak in 2010 and took part in the Manaslu peak expedition in 2011.
Musa Ibrahim was the first Bangladeshi to conquer the Everest on May 23, 2010, while MA Muhit, now accompanying Nishat, is the first Bangladeshi who scaled Everest
twice.
Felicitations have started pouring in for Nishat.
Nobel Laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus in a statement said, “Bangladeshis all over the world are proud of you [Nishat] for setting your sights high, and making the effort
to achieve that goal. You have proved yourself and to everyone what Bangladeshi women are capable of.”
State Minister for Youth and Sports Ahad Ali Sarker, Bangladesh Mahila Parishad, Workers’ Party of Bangladesh and Karmajibi Nari also congratulated Nishat.
-With The Daily Star input
