Tameer Anwar is a household name in the bodybuilding industry of Bangladesh. He has been dominating the local scene since 2014 by winning 6 straight Mister Bangladesh titles. The pioneering bodybuilder created history last month by winning first place at the IFBB Pro League Thailand and becoming the first IFFP Pro Card holder from Bangladesh. This is huge for us as being an IFFP Pro Athlete means that Tameer is now eligible to participate in Mr Olympia, the pinnacle of men's professional bodybuilding.

"I can't explain in words what this means to me. Being the first IFFP Pro Athlete from Bangladesh is a huge honour and a culmination of the hard work I have put in since 2001. I was a small and skinny kid and that saw me being subjected to bullying and many jokes. I wanted to break free of that. I joined the gym to prove to myself and the world that I am bigger than that. I used to idolise Salman Khan and Arnold Schwarzenegger and I wanted my physique to one day resemble theirs. So, I joined the gym and did not look back," explained Tameer. He started excelling at the gym and decided to pursue bodybuilding professionally in 2006. His first competition was the Bangladesh Independence Day Bodybuilding Championship where he placed fourth in the 55kg category. He followed this up with 4 second place finishes in Mister Bangladesh from 2008 to 2011 and a second-place finish in Bangladesh Games in 2013.

Photo: Tameer Anwar

Tameer took his game to the next level as he started to assert his dominance in Mister Bangladesh and has been its champion since 2014. He also entered the global scene with a silver medal at the 53rd IFBB Asian Championship that took place in China in 2019. And with his win last month, Tameer has cemented himself in Bangladesh's history. Not only did he place first in the A class category but he also won the champion of champions title — a contest between the four champions from the four categories. The event took place in Bangkok's Avani Sukhumvit Hotel on 19 November. "The Pro Show is the toughest part of my journey which I have now overcome. The next goal is Mr Olympia," Tameer explained. He will have the entire nation's support as he looks to take Bangladesh's name to even greater heights in the realms of bodybuilding.