What comes to your mind when you hear the word hiking? Climbing mountains? Trekking through deep forests? Or is it just something foreigners do in movies? In reality, hiking is simply the act of walking long distances sometimes across cities, states or even entire countries.
In many western countries, walking long distance, hiking and even cycling across states or even countries are very common activities. However, it is not so common in Bangladesh. People often take rickshaws for distances as short as 500 metres. In a country like this, one student from Chattogram University, Md. Shariful Islam Shuvo, took on an extraordinary challenge of walking 300 kilometers from his university to his home in Gazipur. Lets look into his journey and draw inspiration from his experience –
A man with a mission
Shuvo is majoring in history from Chattogram University (session 2021 – 22). He hails from Bhawal Mirzapur Union of Gazipur. Being passionate about hiking and marathons, he dreams of trekking from Teknaf to Tetulia. Before taking on such a big challenge, he wanted to test himself with a long walk.
Through his walk, he also wanted to inspire the modern generation or in his words the Gen-Z, as he believes them to be detached from outdoor activities due to overuse of technology. He aimed to remind people of the importance of physical movement for health and wellbeing.
Training for the road
To prepare, Shuvo regularly participated in marathon events, which nowadays have gained some popularity on social media, and trained on the field to maintain his fitness. Through disciplined routine, he achieved endurance and stamina needed for this 10-day long trek.
Shuvo mentioned that his passion for this kind of endurance training began when he first participated at the CRB marathon in Chattogram 2024. Other than that, Bangladeshi athlete Tammat Bil Khair has also been a role model for him.
Support and hospitality of strangers
The toughest moment for Shuvo was when he started to get blisters on his feet due to the amount of long walking. However, he did not give up as he knew his friends, family and people were following his journey with admiration.
During this time, he experienced the heartwarming hospitality of Bangladeshi people. On the second night of his journey, he arrived at a madrasa in Bartakia, Chattogram, hoping to find a place to spend the night. The head of the madrasa, moved by the story of his journey, introduced him to a kind teacher named Sabbir. He arranged food and accommodation for Shuvo and took great care of him.
Lessons from the journey
This 300 kilometer adventure gave Shuvo a deeper appreciation for our country. He elaborated his diverse experience of different culture, language, dialect and tradition of Bangladesh. He advised that there is no better way to explore the beauty of this country than through hiking. The people of this coutry are welcoming and hospitable so don’t fear to step out of your confort zone.
Shuvos journey is proof that adventure isn’t limited to foreign countries or professional athletes. A university student, with no special equipment or sponsorship took on a challenge and completed it simply because he wanted to. If he can do it, so can you!
With marathons and endurance challenges becoming more popular on social media, this is the perfect time to take that first step. You don’t have to walk 300 kilometers tomorrow but why not start with just a few? Skip the rickshaw for short distances, walk a little more each day and see where your journey takes you. You never know! you just might inspire the next big adventure in Bangladesh!