Four Bangladeshis set world record cycling 1,670km

Four Bangladeshi youths have set a world record on the greatest distance cycled in 48 hours by a relay team.

They are Drabir Alam, Tanvir Ahmed, Mohammad Alauddin and Rakibul Islam who cycled 1670.334 km (1037.89 miles).

To set the world record, four members of TeamBDC set an aim to cycle 1,600km in two days. So, they started cycling on a road in the Zainul Abendin square in Purbachal in Dhaka at 8:40pm on 8 December 2021. They then circled 1,003 times, crossed 1,680km and finished at 8:40pm on 10 December.

Earlier in 2016, BDCyclists (BDC) set a world record on the longest single line of moving bicycles with 1,186 people cycling slowly on the victory Day.

This time, TeamBCD, sports wing of BDCyclists, set the second world record.

Innumerable pacers accompanied the TeamBDC members during the cycle ride. Pacers and main riders cycled at about 35km an hour during those 48 hours.

Cyclist Drabir Alam is elated over the world record. He said, “We set the record after two years of preparation. It seems we get rid of a burden after many days. Now it is time to do something bigger.”

“We four just did the cycling here. More than 150 volunteers who were with us there have made the record successful altogether,” said another cyclist Rakibul Islam.

However, the recognition by Guinness World Records came after a month. Asked why it was delayed, Drabir Alam said they had been communicating with the Guinness authorities over various information and proofs on the world record.

They had to send many things including video footages of 48 hours of six cameras, evidence of 13 witnesses, report of the surveyors, innumerable photos and GPS data on rides to the Guinness authorities.

After finishing the verification, the Guinness authorities informed them of its decision on Friday and TeamBDC announced it on Saturday, he added.

Earlier, BDCyclists set a longest chain of cyclists this Victory Day with 1200 participants. They are aiming to set a world record with this ‘Bijoy Ride’.

The event was sponsored by Dabur in association with Prothomalo.com.

To know more on the world record, visit the website of Guinness World Records.

*This report appeared in the print and online edition of Prothom Alo and has been rewritten in English by Hasanul Banna