Babar Ali becomes first Bangladeshi to summit Mount Makalu
The summit, the world’s fifth-highest peak, is often referred to as the 'Great Black One' due to its steep, pyramid-like structure.
Bangladeshi mountaineer Babar Ali has become the first from the country to summit Mount Makalu, the world's fifth-highest peak, marking a major milestone in Bangladesh's high-altitude climbing history.
He reached the 8,485-metre summit at around 5:45am Bangladesh time today (2 May), making it his fifth successful ascent of an 8,000-metre peak – a record unmatched by any other Bangladeshi climber.
Located in Nepal's Mahalangur Himal range, Makalu is widely regarded as one of the most technically challenging among the world's 14 peaks above 8,000 metres.
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The summit is often referred to as the "Great Black One" due to its steep, pyramid-like structure.
The expedition, titled "Makalu: The Fifth Frontier," was organised by Vertical Dreamers.
Farhan Zaman, president of the club, confirmed the success citing expedition outfitter Mohan Lamsal.
Babar was accompanied to the summit by Ang Kami Sherpa.
Babar began his journey on 7 April, travelling to Nepal before trekking to base camp via Tumlingtar and Seduwa.
After multiple acclimatisation rotations between camps, he made his final summit push on 30 April following a brief improvement in weather conditions.
Climbing from Camp 3 at around 7,400 metres, he ascended more than 1,100 metres overnight to reach the summit at dawn.
Expedition officials expect him to descend to lower camps before returning to base camp by 3 May.
Babar's latest achievement adds to a series of notable climbs. He previously summited Mount Everest and Mount Lhotse in a single expedition in 2024, a first for any Bangladeshi.
In 2025, he climbed Annapurna I and later Mount Manaslu without supplemental oxygen, another national first.
His mountaineering journey began in 2014, following earlier trekking experience in the hills of Chattogram.
A founding member and current general secretary of Vertical Dreamers, he also received formal training from the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering in 2017.
With the Makalu summit, Babar moves closer to his goal of climbing all 14 peaks above 8,000 metres, a feat achieved by only a handful of climbers worldwide.
