From Keokradong to Himalayas: Mountaineer Mahi is building Bangladesh’s next generation of climbers
Keokradong was once beyond his reach. Today, his students are climbing Himalayan peaks.
The moment Mohammad Mohiuddin Mahi heard that his Tutu Bhai, Arshad Hossain Tutul, was heading to Keokradong, he lost his sleep. The cost of the 10-day trip was Tk3,000 – no small amount in 2003.
Mohiuddin was 16 then. His father ran a small stationery shop with limited income, while the family itself was not small. Money weighed heavily on his mind. Yet, he could not ignore the pull of the mountains.
At the time, Mohiuddin had not thought deeply about life goals. His elder sister dreamed of travelling the world, though circumstances were not in her favour. She wanted Mohiuddin to grow into a global citizen.
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In Farashganj of Old Dhaka, Dhaka Kendra was a lively hub, hosting music, storytelling sessions and short-term courses. His sister took him there and enrolled him in a paramedic course.
The curriculum included practical learning: map reading, bird identification and classes filled with mountain stories. Renowned bird expert Enam Ul Haque, mountaineer and pilot Enam Talukder, and Bangladesh Astronomical Association founder Moshurl Amin, who spoke of the mysteries of space, were among the instructors.
Gatherings of mountain dreamers
Every Friday and Monday, Dhaka Kendra's rooftop came alive with gatherings, mostly conversations about mountains. After Friday sessions, Mohiuddin and others would head to Azimpur, where Kibria Dipu ran a study circle. By then, travel enthusiasts from Lalbagh had formed a club called "Vromon Bangladesh."
Shamsul Alam (Babu Bhai), Arshad Hossain Tutul (Tutu Bhai) and, when time allowed, adventurer Hamidul Haque were regulars.
In the evenings, another adda or gathering would take place on the footpath in front of the Faculty of Fine Arts of Dhaka University. When conversations stretched past dusk, plans were made. One such decision led to a trip to Sitakunda, essentially meant as preparation for Keokradong.
Sitakunda was affordable. Keokradong was not.
As the youngest, Mohiuddin enjoyed some pampering at home. No one opposed his mountain dreams, but money did not come easily. He counted his Eid salami; still short. He asked his sisters, and no one refused their youngest brother.
Mohiuddin finally stood atop Keokradong. The mountain dream that claimed him then has not let go, even at 40.
Staying the course
Climbing mountains is not easy. It demands physical preparation, knowledge of rules, proper gear, study and, above all, persistence.
By then, late Everest climber Mohammed Khaled Hossain, better known as Sajal Khaled, had formed a group called "Extremist" to train mountaineers. Mohiuddin joined them with one goal: to learn as much as possible.
Ramna Park became their practice ground. They often went on group walks to Mawa in Munshiganj or Ashulia near Dhaka.
Shamsul Alam Babu, Rifat Hasan and Noor Mohammad led the front line. Mohiuddin would observe closely and practise relentlessly.
In 2004, Shamsul Alam Babu and others went to Darjeeling's Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (HMI) for a basic course.
Mohiuddin waited for his chance. Money, again, was the barrier; the fee was $200.
In 2008, an elder sister made a promise of support. Trusting that promise, Mohiuddin waited at Siliguri bus station with his friend Shamim.
The money never came. The HMI dream slipped away.
One dream
The dream slipped but did not vanish. After all, he had only one.
At the Bangla Mountaineering and Trekking Club (BMTC), climbers gathered on fixed days. Photos of expeditions from home and abroad were screened on a big screen. Participants learned about trekking and hiking gear: boots, crampons, jackets, ropes, ice axes and tents.
Bird expert Enam Ul Haque was the driving force, often hosting everyone with snacks and soft drinks. Through Noor Mohammad, Mohiuddin became involved with the BMTC, widening the path to his dream.
Expedition teams needed help carrying equipment, cooking, assisting injured members, etc. Lacking funds, he worked to support his travels. In 2007, by volunteering at a Cox's Bazar marathon, he earned the chance to run the full 42km.
Around the same time, he landed a high-paying job at Grameenphone. Within two years, corporate life drained him.
A senior, Mashirur Rahman, had founded an NGO called Safe, which ran adventure programmes under health and education projects. Mohiuddin told him, "I just need pocket money; give me work." He joined Safe.
Finally, HMI
In 2012, the BMTC's MA Muhit paid Mohiuddin's $200 fee for the HMI basic course.
Muhit had already summited Everest twice; on his second ascent, Nishat Mazumder became the first Bangladeshi woman to conquer Everest.
Ice and rock climbing skills from the HMI were first put to test during the 6,186-metre Kyajo Ri expedition in Nepal, led by Muhit. The team included Nishat, Sadia Sultana Shampa, Bahlul Biplob, Shamim Talukder and Mohiuddin. A summit push was aborted due to Cyclone Hudhud, but Mohiuddin returned rich in experience.
Obhijatri and beyond
In 2015, Mohiuddin founded a club called Obhijatri with Noor Mohammad, Nishat Mazumder and Zakaria Beg. The club organised regular travel, hiking and camping. Their 26 March walk titled "From Mourning to Strength," from Dhaka to the National Memorial, drew widespread attention.
By then, Bangladesh's first outdoor adventure camp, BASECAMP, had been established in Gazipur. Mohiuddin and Noor Mohammad began training there. One trainee, senior corporate executive Marufa Haque, noticed Mohiuddin's passion and potential.
Birth of Rope4
Marufa suggested setting up a mountaineering training club and offered initial funding.
It was named Rope4, inspired by Mohiuddin's HMI group name. By then, he had completed the HMI's Advanced Course and Method of Instruction (MOI).
Rope4 formally launched on 23 February 2017 at the Sangskriti Bikash Kendra. The first purchase: two carabiners for Tk3,000.
Peak69, a well-known gear shop in Dhaka, gave Rope4 its first assignment. Unicef later hired Mohiuddin as a trainer for a team-building programme at The Palace Luxury Resort in Habiganj, which bagged him a substantial honorarium.
When Hazarikhil Became HMI
Rope4's first mountaineering workshop took place at Dhaka Kendra with a Tk1,500 registration fee. Twenty-two trainees participated, with Shamsul Alam Babu serving as instructor and providing equipment.
Later, USAID engaged Rope4 in a major project aimed at alternative livelihoods in forest areas. Over several phases, 500 people were trained. Camping facilities were built in eight forests, including Hazarikhil and Medhakachhapia. Within a year, investments were fully recovered, and some camps still operate.
This project made Rope4 financially self-reliant, expanding its safety equipment inventory significantly.
Mohiuddin designed a mountaineering course so enthusiasts would not need to go to the HMI for basics, saving both time and money.
Hazarikhil was chosen as the training centre. The curriculum included trekking, camping, survival techniques, map reading, tree activities, mountaineering terminology, knot tying and altitude gain.
Rock climbing training was initially held in Purulia, West Bengal, and ice climbing in Himachal Pradesh. The eight-day course cost Tk20,000.
Due to Indian visa complications, Nepal is now used for rock and ice climbing, turning training into real Himalayan expeditions: Mera Peak, Lobuche and Island Peak, all above 6,000 metres.
'Mission Himalaya'
Since 2018, Rope4 has been running "Mission Himalaya," a competitive programme where youths apply via social media and are tested in stages. The top three receive mountaineering scholarships.
From 2018 to 2024, it produced many climbers, some now leading successful expeditions.
Rope4 also runs outdoor adventure and team-building activities for institutions, schools and individuals, including summer and winter camps.
Explaining the growing interest in mountaineering, Mohiuddin says, "Bangladeshis love challenges. Despite limited facilities, we have many achievements. Yet, there are very few mountaineering training centres here."
When asked about the qualities a mountaineer should possess, he says, "In addition to physical and mental fitness, it is essential to have endurance, focus, prudence, the ability to make quick decisions and empathy."
Asked why he never summited Everest himself, he replies, "My life had many obstacles. I did not want others' dreams to be blocked like mine. That is why I became a trainer. The day my students stand on Everest, I will consider myself victorious."
