Ikramul Hasan Shakeel, a 26-year-old mountaineer, is going to embark on the first ever Bangladeshi expedition to the Great Himalayan Trail, to encourage the youth to stay healthy and fit.

If everything goes well, Shakeel will become the 33rd person in the world to pull off the expedition. At least 93 mountaineers have tried this till date, said Shakeel at a press conference at The Daily Star Centre yesterday.

The mountaineer will leave Dhaka for Nepal on Wednesday and commence his 150-day expedition from Hilsa town, at the north-west of Nepal-Tibet border.

"This has been my dream for a long time. Members of Bangla Mountaineering and Trekking Club [BMTC] encouraged and helped me a lot to prepare strategies to walk on the trail," he said.

Enam Ul Haque, who had gone on expeditions to Antarctica and the North Pole, said BMTC has so far carried out 34 expeditions, but none of them has been as challenging as that of the Great Himalayan Trail. Often, trekkers lose track of the trail, which makes it all the more challenging.

"I firmly believe Shakeel will be able complete the expedition. Even if he fails, owing to bad weather or other  reasons, we will send him again," he said.

Fareast International University Vice Chancellor Dr Raquib Ahmed gave Shakeel a hoodie and scarf on behalf of the university.

Speaking at the event, noted economist Wahiduddin Mahmud said Bangladeshis have entrepreneurial spirit and aspiration within them, and this leads to them dreaming big and excelling in different sectors.

Md Tajdin Hassan, chief marketing officer of Daraz Bangladesh, also addressed the programme.