Celebrating victory the bikers' way

The relatively empty roads in Chittagong city's CRB area had been a blessing for the bikers practicing the stunt riding routine they would perform today, as a part of the city's celebrations of Victory Day.

From young men standing upright on the handlebars with arms wide open at considerable speeds, to lengthy wheelies, to 360 burnouts -- Chittagonians, who happened to be in the area in the last few days, have seen the bikers going absolute bonkers on wheels.  

“To us, it is a liberating experience,” said Mohammad Twasin, one of instructors of the city's motorcycle stunt club called Extreme Rollerz of Chittagong.

Twelve riders will lead a procession of bikers around 3:00pm from Chittagong Shilpakala Academy and go to CRB area, more than 3km away through the city. The twelve youths would then perform the biking stunts there.

“We would like to celebrate Victory Day through a demonstration of what to us are liberating acts. We want to share our taste of freedom with others,” said Twasin.

The club, formed about four years ago by a handful of motorcycle enthusiast friends, now has 42 members, who are mostly university students.

But most parents disapprove of their sons' passion for biking, said Rizvi Hasan Sakib, a founding member of the club.

“People judge us too quickly thinking we are just reckless. But we go through elaborate precautionary measures and wear safety gears before pulling an act,” Sakib said after performing his acts called handlebar Christ and cliffhanger in CRB area.

“No members can even touch a bike without wearing safety gears,” Sakib, also a student of economics, said.