KATHMANDU, MAY 22

UNDP Youth Advocate and mountaineer Ikramul Hasan Shakil successfully scaled Mount Everest, after walking around 1,400 kilometres from the shores of the Bay of Bengal in Cox's Bazar of Bangladesh in just 84 days, completing his 'Sea to Summit' expedition.

Raising awareness about plastic pollution and promoting sustainable environmental solutions, Shakil reached the summit point at 6:30 am Nepal time on Monday, 19 May, according to Lakpa Sherpa, Managing Director and Expedition Leader at 8K Expeditions.

The 31-year-old climber, being part of the 8K Expeditions, completed over 1,300km 'Sea to Summit' journey on foot – from Inani Beach, Cox's Bazar to the Summit of Mt Everest in just 84 days, said Lakpa.

'With this historic feat, Shakil has become a living link between the depths of the Bay and the heights of the Himalayas,' Embassy of Nepal in Dhaka, said in its congratulatory message.

Tashi Gyaljen Sherpa, who is attempting four Everest summits in a single season, accompanied Shakil to the top. Shakil, who began his expedition from Cox's Bazar on February 25, walked 1,374 kilometres in 84 days, and also swam 3km across the mighty Jamuna River to reach the Everest summit.

Through this expedition, Shakil said, he aims to highlight the importance of environmental conservation, carbon footprint reduction, and sustainable practices. . Inspired by Australian mountaineer Tim Macartney-Snape, who first completed this expedition in 1990, walking 1,126 km in 96 days before summiting Everest, Shakil said he would soon apply for the Guinness World Records.