Trailblazing Bangladeshi mountaineer Babar Ali is set to embark on a new high-altitude challenge, aiming to summit Makalu—the world’s fifth-highest peak—as part of his long-term goal to conquer all 14 mountains above 8,000 metres.
Having already successfully scaled four of these world’s highest peaks, a feat unmatched by any other Bangladeshi – Babar has now turned his focus toward the 8,485-metre (27,838-foot) peak located in Nepal’s Mahalangur Himalaya.
The mission, titled ‘Expedition Makalu: The Fifth Frontier’, is organised by the Chattogram-based mountaineering club, Vertical Dreamers.
Details of the mission were shared during a press conference held at the Chattogram Press Club at 11am on Sunday.
The event was presided over by the expedition manager and president of Vertical Dreamers, Farhan Zaman.
Other speakers included the club’s advisor, Shihab Uddin, and Ahmed Noor Faisal, the managing director of the sponsoring firm Visual Knitwear Limited.
Additional sponsors for the journey include Sam-Bond, My Health, Chandrabindu Prokashan, and Rahmans Groceries. At the conclusion of the event, the national flag was formally handed over to Babar Ali.
During the conference, Babar expressed that his ultimate objective is to climb all 14 of the world’s “eight-thousanders,” with Makalu serving as a significant milestone in that journey.
He said that he originally intended to climb Nanga Parbat, the world’s ninth-highest peak in Pakistan’s Karakoram range, this year.
However, due to a shortage of necessary funds and tensions along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, he opted for Mount Makalu instead.
Known as the “Great Black One,” Makalu is notorious for its steep slopes, fierce winds, and unique four-sided pyramid shape. Babar Ali said that he is fully prepared to take on these challenges.
Babar Ali’s mountaineering journey began in 2014, following his initial trekking experiences in the Chittagong Hill Tracts in 2010.
A founding member and the current General Secretary of Vertical Dreamers, he has conducted various Himalayan expeditions for over a decade.
He completed his basic training at the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering in Uttarkashi, India, in 2017.
His record of achievements includes being the first Bangladeshi to scale Ama Dablam in 2022. In 2024, he achieved the unprecedented feat for a Bangladeshi of summiting both Mount Everest (the world’s highest peak) and Mount Lhotse (the fourth highest) during a single expedition.
In April 2025, he became the first Bangladeshi to reach the summit of Annapurna-I, the world’s tenth-highest mountain.
This was followed in September 2025 by his ascent of Mount Manaslu, the world’s eighth-highest peak, which he completed without supplemental oxygen – another first for a Bangladeshi.
The upcoming Makalu mission marks Babar’s fifth expedition to a peak above 8,000 metres. He is scheduled to depart for the expedition on 7 April.
After securing permits and equipment in Kathmandu, he will travel to Tumlingtar and trek for several days to reach the base camp.
According to Farhan Zaman, the expedition is expected to last approximately 50 days, involving a process of gradual acclimatisation through higher camps.
If weather conditions remain favourable, the summit attempt is planned for the second or third week of May.
