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Last modified on Sunday, 06 January 2013 18:00

Wasfia Nazreen, Bangladesh Summits mount Vinson, Antarctica

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07 January 2013, Dhaka. Wasfia Nazreen, the youngest Everest summiteer of the country, reached the peak of mount Vinson, the highest point of Antarctica, on 5th January, 2013, according to her spokesperson. She is the first Bangladeshi to climb Mount Vinson of Antarctica, the most isolated continent of the earth. This was the fourth leg of her “Bangladesh on Seven Summits” campaign that kicked off in 26th March, 2011.

She called her spokesperson Korvi Rakshand in Bangladesh from the summit, using a satellite phone, at 9:30 pm (BST) and said: "This was the hardest among the summits, but I did it for the nation so that we can start 2013 with new hopes, that everything is possible if our efforts are sincerely put into it.”

Congratulating Wasfia on this extraordinary achievement, Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, Founder and Chairperson of BRAC said “Wasfia has shown the world how strong and courageous Bangladeshi women are. She is an inspiration to all women as we strive towards equity for all women in this world"
With a Flag-Off ceremony on November 8, 2012, Wasfia set off on her expedition to climb Mount Vinson. She reached Canada on 29th November, 2012 and went through a 3 week long extensive training and acclimatisation in winter wilderness of Canada with Patrick Morrow, the first person in the world to have finished seven summits 30 years ago. Finally she left for Antarctica from Chile on 29th December, 2012.

Mahabub Hossain ED of BRAC said,” Wasfia’s success reflects the enormous stride Bangladeshi women have taken towards empowerment and independence. I wish her all the best for her future endeavours.”

On the eve of Bangladesh turning 40, she had taken up the challenge of climbing the highest mountains of each of the seven continents to celebrate women’s progress of the last four decades and highlight to the world the resiliency of our people.

The Vinson expedition of Bangladesh on Seven Summits was supported by BRAC in collaboration with bKash Limited and BRAC Bank Limited. Wasfia Nazreen will also work as BRAC’s Goodwill Ambassador for the next one year to champion the cause of women empowerment.

Vinson Massif is about 1,200 kilometres (750 miles) from the South Pole and is about 21 km (13 mi) long and 13 km (8.1 mi) wide.  At 4,892 metres (16,050 ft), the highest point is Mount Vinson, which was named in 2006 after Carl Vinson, long-time member of the U.S. Congress from the state of Georgia.

Updates on her journey will regularly be posted on Facebook and Twitter via both Bangladesh on Seven Summits & BRAC pages.

www.facebook.com/BangladeshOnSevenSummits
www.twitter.com/BDon7Summits
www.facebook.com/BRACWorld
www.twitter.com/BRACWorld

 

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