Pran sponsors mountaineer Shakil’s world record attempt

Ikramul Hasan Shakil, the youngest mountaineer, has embarked on a mission to set a world record by walking the longest distance from a sea beach to the summit of Mount Everest in the shortest time. Leading food brand Pran is the title sponsor of this ambitious attempt, while popular noodles brand Mister Noodles is the snack partner.

Shakil revealed the details of his record-setting journey, Sea to Summit, at a press conference in Gulshan, Dhaka on Sunday, March 9. Shakil previously made history as the first Bangladeshi to complete the Great Himalaya Trail.

Beginning his journey on February 25 from Inani Beach in Cox’s Bazar, Shakil has already reached Dhaka. He aims to complete the entire 1,300-kilometer journey, covering challenging terrain across Bangladesh, India, and Nepal, within 90 days. The expedition will culminate at the summit of Mount Everest, standing at 29,031 feet.

Through this endeavor, Shakil plans to break the record set by Australia's Tim McCartney-Snape, who walked from Gangasagar (the confluence of the Ganges River and the Bay of Bengal) to the top of Everest in over three months in 1990. Shakil intends to cover nearly 100 kilometers more in six fewer days.

During his journey, Shakil aims to raise awareness about plastic waste management, plastic pollution, carbon emissions, and sustainable environmental solutions.

“When I was seeking sponsors, Pran Group stepped forward,” Shakil said. “Pran has always supported the younger generation in sports and other fields. If more companies like Pran join in, young dreamers will be motivated to achieve even greater milestones for Bangladesh.”

Kamaruzzaman Kamal, Director of Marketing at Pran-RFL Group, expressed his excitement at the event, saying, “Today is a day of great joy for us. We are proud to support such a noble initiative. With Pran’s name attached to it, the flag of Bangladesh will fly at the highest point on Earth — nothing could be more fulfilling.”

The event is being organised by the Bangla Mountaineering and Trekking Club (BMTC), with associate sponsorship from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Makalu-E-Traders Nepal, and Sistema Toothbrush.

Shakil previously gained fame for being the first Bangladeshi to successfully complete the 1,700-kilometer-long Great Himalaya Trail. So far, only 33 mountaineers from around the world have completed this trail.

The press conference was attended by Inam Al Haq, Founder of BMTC; MA Muhit, President of BMTC and two-time Everest summiteer; Md Abdul Qayyum, Head of Communications at UNDP; Tanmoy Dattagupta, Marketing Director of Lion Kollol Limited (Sistema Toothbrush); and Tushon Pal, General Manager of Mr Noodles.