3 DU students to go on Everest expedition

Their team will be the first group from Bangladesh to go on the Everest expedition in an attempt to reach the highest summit in the world.

Dalchhut, an adventure magazine arranged the countrywide competition with the support of Mountain Dew, a soft drink.

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The beverage company will sponsor the team that will go to the Base camp-1 of the Everest in May after a mountaineering course at Uttar Kashi in India.

"We hope this team will be able to reach the peak of the Everest carrying the Bangladeshi flag for the first time within next five years," said Moshurul Amin Milon, who conducted the competition, at a press conference in the city yesterday.

Abdullah-ul Muyeed, Ashraful Haque and Ainal Haque are doing graduation in economics and international relationship at Dhaka University.

"I like adventure from my boyhood. We have been to many places, including Keokradong, the highest peak in the country. But we never dared to head for the Everest due to financial crisis. Now we are going to make our dream come true," said an excited Muyeed.

Out of the 15 teams selected for the final competition that took place in Srimongal, Muyeed's team emerged as champions. They took part in different events such as trekking, riding push-bike and swimming.

In the preliminary stage, more than 100 teams from across the country joined the race. And the organisers selected only 15 teams comprising 44 boys and only one girl.

"We prioritised the team sprit along with their performance while selecting the team as mountaineering is a total team work," said Milon. Anish Roy, country manager of Pepsi, was also present at the press conference.

The names of the teams that secured the second and third positions were also announced at the press conference. If the first team somehow fails to join the training course, the second one will get the chance.

Zahid-ul Mamun, Firoz Ahmed and Md Shihabuddin from Khulna secured the second position and Obaidullah-ul Masud, Dipak Chandra Halder and Hisham Khan Setu from Barisal got the third position.