Wednesday, October 8, 2025

Wasfia mounts Everest

Dedicates her feat to Bangladeshi women
Wasfia Nazreen has become the second Bangladeshi woman to scale Mount Everest just a week after Nishat Majumder achieved the feat.
She reached the top of the 8,848-metre (29,029-foot) mountain at 6:41am Bangladesh time yesterday.
Korvi Rakshand, spokesperson of the Bangladesh on Seven Summits campaign that initiated the trekking, told The Daily Star about Wasfia’s success.
Nishat, the first Bangladeshi woman to conquer the Everest, achieved the feat on May 19. Along with fellow mountaineer MA Mohit, she is now descending towards Kathmandu.
Mohit is the first Bangladeshi to scale the mountain twice and from both sides. He first topped the peak on May 21 last year.
Bangladesh entered the list of Everest conquerors with Musa Ibrahim raising high the red-green on the mountaintop on May 23, 2010.
“Wasfia called me over her satellite phone around 7:00am… She is on her way down and may reach the base camp in a day or two if all is well,” Korvi told The Daily Star.
She would like to dedicate her triumph to all the women of Bangladesh.
“We got our independence, but women are still fighting for freedom,” Korvi quoted Wasfia, the youngest Bangladeshi to reach the top of the world, as saying.
“This is for the Bangladeshi women, who brave their lives every day for freedom, peace and equality.”
Wasfia reached the south summit with American guide Chris Klinke and two sherpas Nima Gyurme Dorje and Kusang Sherpa. The expedition was organised by Expedition Himalaya, said an official statement of Bangladesh on Seven Summits.
Yesterday, Expedition Himalaya through its website post confirmed Wasfia’s success.
This is for the first time that a Bangladeshi woman, with no other team member, has led an expedition to the top of the world, said Korvi.
Wasfia left the base camp for the world’s highest peak on Monday. She had to defer her summit push by a day due to inclement weather on Friday.
“This is it! I’m going up tonight [2:00am, May 21] for a possible summit attempt on 25th morning if all goes well,” according to Wasfia’s last Facebook post on May 20.
Wasfia’s Everest mission began on March 26. She was supposed to reach the summit at least seven days earlier but failed because of bad weather accompanied by an avalanche.
Her Everest trip was sponsored by Bangladesh’s Citybank and supported by Nepal Tourism Board, Himalayan Climate Initiatives and Nepal’s Everest Women’s 7 Summits Eco-Action Team. Renata and Kazi Farms acted as co-sponsors.
Wasfia launched her expedition to scale the highest peaks of the seven continents in July last year under Bangladesh on Seven Summits campaign celebrating 40 years of independence.
The campaign is a tribute to those who went through a long, dreadful ordeal for the birth of the nation.
Supported by the Liberation War Museum, this is for the first time that a Bangladeshi has taken up such a challenge.
Wasfia took leave from her job at Care Bangladesh at the end of November for this campaign, which will take around two years to draw to a close.
On October 2 last year, she became the first Bangladeshi woman to reach the highest peak of Africa, the Uhuru peak of Mt Kilimanjaro at 5,895 metres altitude in Tanzania.
She reached the peak of Mount Aconcagua in Argentina on December 16, 2011. She came back from 300 metres off the peak of Mount Elbrus in Russia on July 12.
Born in Dhaka in 1982, Wasfia went to the US in 2002 for higher education on completion of O-level and A-level in Bangladesh. She graduated from Agnes Scott College in Atlanta.
While studying in the US, Wasfia got engaged with rights activism. She often climbed many high-rises, notably a building of around 350 metres to post banners against the Iraq war.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, opposition leader Khaleda Zia, Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus, Musa Ibrahim and different other individuals and organisations have congratulated Wasfia.
“We are proud of you. You are the youngest Bangladeshi to have reached the top of the world. All of us Bangladeshis across the world are proud of your achievement. You are an inspiration to all Bangladeshis, especially to Bangladeshi women,” said Prof Yunus in a statement.
Meanwhile, Nishat Majumder and her fellow mountaineer MA Mohit reached Namche Bazar, around 3,440 metres above the sea level.
They left the base camp Friday morning.
“They will stay tonight [last night] at Namche Bazar and will start descending again tomorrow [this] morning,” said Enam Ul Haque, president of Bangla Mountaineering and Trekking Club that organised the event.
They are expected to arrive at Lukla, around 2,860 metres above sea level, today and Kathmandu tomorrow, said Enam.

-With The Daily Star input

Related News

Bangladesh and KSA sign pact for workers’ rights

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia have just inked a labour recruitment agreement, marking the first deal aimed at promoting fair recruitment practices and protecting workers’ rights. Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Adviser, Prof. Asif Nazrul, and the Saudi Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, Engineer Ahmad Bin Solaiman Al-Rajhi, recently came ... Read more

Poor pay, allowances of teachers affect education

World Teacher’s Day today Shahin Akhter Poor pay-scale and allowances and low social status mark the poor condition of the teachers in Bangladesh affecting the education sector, observed educationists and researchers. They also said that the Bangladeshi teachers were lagging much behind their fellows even in the neighbouring countries in terms of these facilities and ... Read more

Protecting hilsa: 22-day fishing ban begins

News Desk : dhakamirror.com The government has put a 22-day halt on catching, transporting, storing, selling, and marketing hilsa throughout the country. This measure aims to protect the fish during its crucial breeding season. The ban started at midnight yesterday and will last until October 25, as stated in a notification from the Ministry of ... Read more

Road fatalities: 446 crashes, 417 lives lost in September

News Desk : dhakamirror.com In September, a tragic report from the Road Safety Foundation revealed that at least 417 people lost their lives and 682 were injured in 446 road accidents throughout Bangladesh. Among those who died, there were 63 women and 47 children, as highlighted in the foundation’s monthly report released today. In 151 ... Read more

Man’s fatal fall into Ramna Park lake

News Desk : dhakamirror.com A tragic incident occurred yesterday at Ramna Park in the capital, where a man drowned in the lake. The victim has been identified as 55-year-old Wasimul Haq. The police were able to identify him using fingerprint records. According to Ramna police SI Mizanur Rahman, he was discovered unconscious around 6:00 PM ... Read more

Tariff Commission’s size-based hilsa pricing strategy

News Desk : dhakamirror.com The Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission (BTTC), also known as the Tariff Commission, has suggested setting a maximum retail price for hilsa based on its size. This recommendation comes in response to the unusual spike in prices seen in the local market. On Sunday, the Tariff Commission released a report detailing ... Read more

Ekushey Book Fair won’t happen in December

News Desk : dhakamirror.com The Bangla Academy announced yesterday (28 September), that the previously scheduled dates for the Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2026 have been postponed. In a press release, they explained that this decision was made following a directive from the Ministry of Home Affairs on September 21, which indicated that the fair should ... Read more

Working in Bangladesh is quite challenging: CEC

News Desk : dhakamirror.com The Election Commission is grappling with a mix of challenges, both seen and unseen, as it gears up for the upcoming elections and responds to various demands, shared chief election commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin on Saturday. “These hurdles might not be apparent from the outside, but we’re constantly navigating through them,” ... Read more

Travel ban on Keokradong hill to be lifted starting from 1 October

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Great news for travelers! Keokradong hill in Bandarban’s Ruma upazila is set to welcome tourists again starting October 1. The district administration has finally lifted the travel ban that had been in effect for almost three years. Bandarban Deputy Commissioner (DC) Shamim Ara Rini announced the decision today (27 September) during ... Read more

Tree planting campaign to lower pollution, make city more attractive

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Administrator Md Shahjahan Mia has inaugurated a tree plantation and greening programme covering 33 road medians, spanning a total length of 31 kilometres, within the corporation’s jurisdiction. Under the “Zero Soil” programme, ornamental flowering trees and grasses will be planted across 28 DSCC medians, while the ... Read more

Krishi Bank ranks third in remittance collection

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Krishi Bank has shown remarkable success in collecting remittances from expatriates during the first eight months of 2025 (January–August). Known as bank for farmers due to its agricultural loan services, this state-owned institution has climbed to the third position in remittance collection from abroad in that timeframe. This notable achievement has ... Read more

North Bay low : Rain forecast for Bangladesh

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Many parts of the country is expected to witness moderate to heavy and very heavy rainfall in the coming days due to the formation of a low-pressure system over the north Bay and adjoining coastal areas, the Met office said in its latest forecast. According to Bangladesh Meteorological Department’s 120-hour weather ... Read more

Metrorail boosts service: Extended hours & more frequent arrivals

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Dhaka metrorail service is set to start operating earlier in the morning and later at night to better serve the growing number of passengers. Service hours will be extended by 30 minutes at both the beginning and end of the day, and the interval between trains will be reduced by nearly ... Read more

22% minors in Bangladesh’s sex trade

News Desk : dhakamirror.com At least 22 percent of victims of commercial sexual exploitation (abuse of a person, or a minor, through sexual activities in exchange for money, goods, or other benefits) in Bangladesh are children, said speakers at an event yesterday. They shared the information at the launch of “Project Shurakkha”, an initiative of ... Read more

WB Reports Bangladesh Heat Costs at $1.78 Billion in 2024

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Rising temperatures in Bangladesh are fueling a surge in heat-related illnesses, leading to the loss of 250 million workdays in 2024 and economic losses estimated at $1.33–1.78 billion, representing about 0.3 to 0.4 percent of Bangladesh’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2024, according to a new World Bank report. The report ... Read more

Police clearance no longer required for passports

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus announced that police verification will no longer be necessary for obtaining a passport, thereby reducing unnecessary hassle for citizens. “Getting a passport is a basic right. We have established a rule that eliminates the need for police verification,” he stated. While speaking at the opening session ... Read more

Metro rail achieves record 4 lakh daily passengers

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Metro Rail has achieved a remarkable milestone by carrying over 400,000 passengers in a single day. The Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL), which operates the Metro Rail, announced this achievement on their official Facebook page on Friday night. For the first time, Metro Rail recorded 403,164 passengers. The Metro Rail ... Read more

Most people, about 66% think civil servants behave as if they are rulers

News Desk : dhakamirror.com More than 100,000 participants have contributed their responses to reform commission’s online survey 80% of the respondents believe that the administration is not approachable for the general public, according to a survey conducted by the Public Administration Reform Commission. Additionally, 66% of participants feel that civil servants act as if they ... Read more

Former Justice Abdur Rouf dies

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Former Chief Election Commissioner Justice Md Abdur Rouf has passed away at the age of 91. He died around 10:00 am while receiving treatment at Insaf Barakah Kidney and General Hospital in Dhaka, as stated in a press release. Justice Rouf had been battling heart disease, lung complications, kidney issues, and ... Read more

Bangladesh climbed 4 positions to rank 93rd in global passport index

News Desk : dhakamirror.com Bangladesh has climbed four notches up in the latest Henley Passport Index 2025, ranking 93rd out of 99. However, the number of visa-free destinations for Bangladeshi passport holders has dropped from 42 in 2024 to 39 this year, reflecting a decline in global travel privileges. Despite this improvement in rank — ... Read more