Story of Babar Ali: Conquering the world's deadliest mountain

On April 7, 2025, Dr Babar Ali did something no Bangladeshi had ever done. He stood on Mount Annapurna 1, with a towering peak of 8,091 meters. He had already conquered Mount Everest, becoming the sixth Bangladeshi to reach there. But this time, it was Annapurna, the world's deadliest mountain. This feat made him an inspiration who proves dreams can be reached with courage and determination, no matter how high they are.

Dr Ali gave a surprising answer when the writer asked about his early connection with mountains. "For the first 20 years, I didn't do anything related to mountains," he smiled. But I loved reading travel books as a child. "

Two books particularly changed his interest. Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay's Chander Pahar sparked his interest in adventure, whilst Samaresh Majumdar's Gorvodharini made him realise he needed to see the Himalayas with his own eyes. At that time, being in his 20s, Dr Ali's dream seemed distant until he was admitted into medical school.

"During my second year of medical school, I got my first opportunity to visit mountains," he recalled. "So, yes! These two books personally inspired me."

When asked about his mountaineering heroes, Babar Ali mentioned George Mallory, a British climber who attempted Mount Everest with his companion Irvine in 1924. Mallory and Irvine disappeared during their attempt 100 years back. It was in his mind. "When I climbed Everest in 2024, I chose that specific year because it marked the 100th anniversary of Mallory and Irvine's attempt."

Dr Ali also admires Eric Shipton and Bill Tilman. However, Maurice Herzog's journey to Annapurna 1 was most meaningful to him, as he was the first to climb Annapurna 1 in 1950.

"When standing on the summit of Annapurna, I kept thinking about Herzog. He lost all his fingers to frostbite during that climb. Standing where he stood exactly 75 years later was a powerful moment for me."

Bangladeshi climbers face unique challenges on their path to the top of the world. Referring to the Three M theory, he said, "You need a mind, muscle, and money." We might have willpower; we can train our minds. With muscle, I meant endurance. But money is where we always get stuck.

Not limited to funding, Bangladeshi climbers face geographic disadvantages, too. By definition, a mountain is over 1000 meters tall. According to that, Bangladesh has three, the highest peak of which is 1,063, barely qualifying as a mountain. Babar Ali also pointed out that Bangladesh lacks the environment for foolproof mountain training.

"In the Himalayas are glaciers, snow, ice, and rock. We don't have any of these features in Bangladesh", Dr Ali explained.

"Big international brands might manufacture their products (gear or accessories) in Bangladesh for cheaper labour, but let's be real, we can't afford to buy them. Despite these limitations, Bangladeshi climbers are still achieving extraordinary heights," he added.

Annapurna 1 is approximately 26,545 feet tall, making it the tenth-highest mountain in the world. It is also the most dangerous, with the highest fatality rate among the eight-thousanders.

Babar Ali's journey to the summit began on March 24, 2025. With preparation in Kathmandu and Pokhara, he reached Annapurna Base camp on March 28. He stayed at Camp 1 (5200 meters) for two nights and Camp 2 (5700 meters) for one night before returning to the Base Camp. Babar Ali began his final push on April 3. He faced one of the most challenging sections between Camp 2 and Camp 3.

"The path from Camp 2 to 3 was my biggest challenge. There's a place called Couloir, a narrow gully in the mountain where rock and ice constantly fall. It's like enemy forces shooting machine guns at you from both sides, and you have to survive," he recalled.

Dr Ali also shared, "It was a very long summit push. I sharted at 4:10 PM and reached the summit at around 9:40 the next morning. And we had to hike nearly 1700 meters, from around 6,400 meters to 8,091 meters."

This year presented unusual challenges for Annapurna climbers, as Mr Ali mentioned, one of the driest seasons. "When little snowfall, the upper rocks lose their stable base, and your crampon can't grip the surface. Instead of snow, you encounter blue ice, which is harder than rock. After summiting, I learned two climbers had died that day. I knew it was a tough mountain, but I had no idea how tough it was until I experienced it myself."

Dr Ali added, "Just being out in the extreme cold for such a long time was a huge challenge, which could've further led to frostbite. Another challenge that I felt was the steep slopes of Annapurna."

To the question, "Which climbing techniques did you use climbing Annapurna 1?" Mr Ali replied, "It depends on the features of each mountain. Some mountains have more rock sections, while above 6,000 meters, there's snow. So, from my experience, you must be good at ice, snow, and rock climbing. It also depends on which side of the mountain you're climbing, the north face or south face."

When the writer asked about his emotions standing on one of the dangerous peaks, he smiled, saying, "I felt relieved! Finally, I reached a place Where I no longer had to climb. Yes! I had a sense of accomplishment, but I had to remember that I was only halfway done. I still had to get down safely."

He realised he was making history. He says, " Standing on a summit like Annapurna's is very emotional. There are only 14 mountains over 8,000 meters, and Annapurna was first climbed in the 1950s. I stood on that same spot exactly 75 years later."

When the writer asked him for advice he would like to give aspiring Bangladeshi mountaineers, Dr Ali replied humbly. "I'm not someone who should give advice. But I'll tell you, a mountaineer requires those three things, money, mind and muscle. Learning how to balance these three is the key. Take it step by step, and never skip any stage. Start with a 5,000-meter mountain, then 6,000 and then 7,000 meters. Practice slowly but steadily."

Dr. Ali gave a heads-up on financial matters, "Annapurna will cost you permit fees, insurance, logistics, gear, and many expenses. It will cost you around 12-13 lakh Bangladeshi taka."

When the question asked how he practised for Annapurna 1, Mr Ali said, "I did a mountaineering course back in 2017 at the Nehru Institute Of Mountaineering (NIM) in Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand which was 28 days long. Besides that, I have done several rock climbing courses. It's a no-brainer how these helped me, but the best training for mountains is going to the mountains. I also run regularly with a weighted backpack and do CrossFit exercises for endurance. Moreover, I regularly do core muscle exercises and basic pranayama."

Dr Babar Ali's achievement isn't just about being the first Bangladeshi; it also portrays how sticking to training, dedication, and passion can take you to the highest roofs, even if you're someone from a country without mountains.

He took a moment to share his proud moment of representing Bangladesh on the peaks of Annapurna. "Standing on the summit of Annapurna by following the trodden path like of Maurice Herzog and Louis Lachenal is undoubtedly the best experience. For someone from Bangladesh to accomplish this means everything to me personally." His philosophical answer to what's next is, "There are other Annapurnas in the lives of men and women!"

The writer can be found at rrahmanmegh@gmail.com