What does it take to become a Babar Ali?

A group of friends were on the Saka Haphong expedition in 2014. All of a sudden, a stranger joined the team. His name is Babar Ali, a student of Chittagong Medical College. Nobody raised objections after hearing that he is a bit involved in trekking. As the expedition wrapped up, Babar Ali, who had some dreams, eventually became one of us.

While crossing the roads, we understood this mountain wanderer would do something one day. But who would think that his dreams were to conquer the summits of Mount Everest, Lhotse and Annapurna? I saw firsthand Babar transforming from a seedling to a banyan tree. There is nothing that can deter him once he sets a goal.

Babar roams everywhere from deep forests to snow-covered mountaintops to the high tide of oceans. Babar’s is into all sorts of adventures - rock climbing, scuba diving, kayaking, running, cycling, swimming and cross-country hiking. Babar cycled from Kashmir to Kanniyakumari in India, as well as walked from a corner to another corner of Sri Lanka and 64 districts in 64 days in Bangladesh.

Babar is equally active in various welfare activities. He is involved in in the fight to spread the light of education among hill children. He runs to remote hill villages to provide treatment, where people wait month after month for medicines. What about his love to environment? We have seen many times Babar carefully collecting plastic litter as if he is tending to nature with his own hands.

What does it take to become a Babar Ali? Maybe, it takes tremendous courage, insatiable curiosity, selfless love for humans, nature and life. The accomplishment of Babar Ali is no miracle. It is the results of deep introspection as well as undying love and devotion to nature. He had to take breaks from the his medical profession like and sacrifice many luxuries in his journey ahead.

Simplicity is one of his attributes. He shows respect to everyone from an unknown pedestrian in Nepal to an elderly tea stall owner in a remote village of Bangladesh. There is no pretense in his smile, no arrogance in his words. He is polite. His laughs is like the sound of a river. He possesses a kindness that spreads out like the mist on the mountains. He is strong, yet kind. He is invincible, yet humane. He likes to walk in the shady valleys, the muddy village roads in village, he loves to immerse himself in the kind and simple talk of the people.

Babar Ali is a studious young man. When everyone becomes tired after a long trek, Babar brings out a book from his bags and start reading. He does not only read he also live in the books. After reading a lot, eventually he became good at writing. His writing highlights the description of the Himalayas as well as the heart-breaking scenario of the poor villages.

A persons loses all false pride when compare themselves to a lofty mountain. Babar has built himself up from the soil and he finds himself in the soil again. He wrote about climbing mountains, as well as built within himself a mountain of sincerity, graciousness and love. Babar dreams of hoisting the flag of Bangladesh on all 14 mountain peaks above 8,000 metres and three of them have already been conquered. I firmly believe he will do it.

Forhan Zaman is president of adventure club Vertical Dreamers

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