Mountaineer Tanvir conquires Nepal's 'Mother's Necklace'

Bangladeshi mountaineer Tanvir Ahmed reached the summit of Nepal's challenging 22,349-foot Ama Dablam peak, often known as the "Mother's Necklace" due to its resemblance to a necklace draped around a mother's neck. 

This revered mountain, located in Nepal's Khumbu region, is one of the most difficult Himalayan peaks to climb, famous for its 90-degree slopes and steep ridges. 

Tanvir successfully raised the red and green flag of Bangladesh atop this iconic peak today (2 November) at 11:30 am local time, reads a press release. 

Tanvir embarked on his expedition to Nepal on 13 October, beginning preparations and securing necessary permits before heading to Ramechhap Airport. 

Adverse weather kept him grounded there for two days, delaying regular flights to Lukla. Determined not to let his dream wait, Tanvir chose to travel overland and on foot, eventually reaching Ama Dablam Base Camp on 24 October. He acclimatised with a trip to Camp-2 and returned to base camp to wait for favourable conditions before beginning his final ascent.

The crucial summit attempt began at midnight on 2 November, as Tanvir and his mountaineering guide, Bir Tamang, left Camp-2 for the peak. By the morning, they reached the summit. Farhan Zaman, coordinator of the expedition and a representative of Tanvir's club, Vertical Dreamers, shared the news of Tanvir's accomplishment with confirmation from Bodha Raj Bhandari, owner of Slow Horizon Treks and Expeditions. 

Farhan expressed his pride, saying, "This is our second successful summit of Ama Dablam. We are both proud and excited. We expect Tanvir to return to base camp in two days, and we ask everyone to pray for his safe descent." 

Notably, Vertical Dreamers first achieved this milestone in 2022 when Dr Babar Ali summited Ama Dablam. 

In 2023, Bangladeshi mountaineers Nishat Mazumder and Kawsar Rupak also completed this climb, followed by Toffiq Tamal this year. Tanvir now becomes the fifth Bangladeshi to conquer this formidable peak.

Tanvir's dream expedition was partially sponsored by Bag, Freesva Bangladesh, and Elite Travels, while Vertical Dreamers provided overall support.