In a feat that has left the world in awe, 31-year-old Ikramul Hasan Shakil from Bangladesh has etched his name in history by conquering Mount Everest in a record-breaking expedition dubbed Sea to Summit.
Starting from the sandy shores of Inani Beach in Cox’s Bazar, Shakil trekked an astonishing 1,300 kilometres – the longest distance ever covered on foot from sea level to Everest’s 29,031-foot summit – and did it in the shortest time, smashing a global record previously set by an Australian mountaineer in 1990. And he is the youngest to pull this off.
Shakil’s adventure began on February 25, with a bold mission to complete the Sea to Summit challenge in under 90 days. Battling rugged terrains across Bangladesh, India, and Nepal, he covered 100 kilometres more than the previous record holder, Tim McCartney-Snap, and shaved a week off the time, doing it all at just 31 years old. That’s not just a climb; it’s a superhuman sprint to the top of the world!
Sadia Sultana Shampa, a member of the Bangla Mountaineering and Trekking Club (BMTC) and coordinator of the expedition, confirmed the achievement to Jago News.
She stated that Shakil successfully summited and returned to Camp 4, setting a world record by trekking from sea level to the Everest peak. He covered a distance of 1,300 kilometers on foot—the longest such journey completed in the shortest time on record. Due to poor internet and phone connectivity, the exact time of his summit, details about his climbing team, and visual documentation from the peak have not yet been received. However, the Everest expedition company has confirmed his successful ascent.
“We expect to share visuals and further details soon,” Shampa added. “But our main concern now is Shakil’s safe return to Everest base camp.”
Before Shakil, Australian mountaineer Tim Macartney-Snape made a similar expedition in 1990, hiking from India’s Ganga Sagar to the Everest summit in 96 days, covering approximately 1,200 kilometers. Shakil completed a longer journey—about 1,300 kilometers—a week faster.
Shakil began his epic journey on February 25 from Inani Beach in Cox’s Bazar under the campaign titled ‘Sea to Summit,’ aiming to reach the summit within 90 days. He traversed challenging terrain across Bangladesh, India, and Nepal, ultimately reaching Everest’s 29,031-foot-high peak.
The expedition aimed to raise awareness about plastic pollution, carbon emission reduction, and sustainable environmental solutions.
Shakil has an impressive mountaineering background. He is the first Bangladeshi to complete the Great Himalayan Trail—an elite accomplishment shared by only 33 climbers worldwide. In 2013, he walked from Kolkata to Dhaka in just 11 days and later joined BMTC. He received basic mountaineering training in India and, in 2015, joined a team led by MA Muhith that successfully summited the 20,290-foot-high Kyajo Ri peak.
In 2017, he attempted to summit Larke Peak, but the team had to retreat due to adverse weather. The following year, while undergoing advanced mountaineering training at the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering in India, he successfully summited Draupadi Ka Danda II.
In 2019, Shakil joined an international team of eight climbers from five countries on an expedition to Himlung, where he became the first Bangladeshi to reach its summit.
The “Sea to Summit” expedition was organised by the Bangla Mountaineering and Trekking Club. PRAN, one of Bangladesh's leading industrial groups, served as the title sponsor. Supporting partners included the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Mr. Noodles (snack partner), Makalu-E-Traders Nepal (gear partner), Systema Toothbrush (oral health partner), Jago News (news partner), and Jago FM (radio partner).