Bangladesh attempts to break Guiness world record

Dolon Champa Dutta

Team BD Cyclist in the ride; Photo: Dolon Champa Dutta

More than 1200 cyclists joined a ride on 13^th December in the road of 300 feet in Basundhara, with the dream of breaking a world record.

BD Cyclist (Bangladeshi Cyclist) one of the most famous cycling group in Bangladesh arranges an event of breaking the Guinness Record of ‘Longest Single Line of Bicycles’, on 16^th December. 13^th December was the final selection ride for this event.

Co-operation is the key to achieving this goal. A participant Abdul Kader, one of the students of Journalism in University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) said: “Previously two rides were held on 2^nd and 9^th December. Today is the final selection round. If every participant co-operates each other then it will be easy for us to make a new world record.”

Kader also added: “though it is very difficult for us to ride a cycle in a single line, but it will not be impossible.”

After starting the first ride; Photo: Dolon Champa Dutta

Tanzimul Habib Siddique, a police officer came to this event with his school-going daughter Jahan Binte Tanzim. They both were the participants of this event. His little daughter Jahan, who is a student of class four in Police Sahid Smriti School, was very much confident about his father. Jahan said: “I started cycling from this September. My father taught me cycling. I wish my father all the best for his success.”At the same time, Tanzimul also encouraged his daughter.“I joined this event not only for making world record but also for the love of cycling. I love cycling from my childhood. I also want to make my daughter as a cyclist like me,” he said.

When asked about the traffic system in Dhaka city he replied: “we need a separate lane for cycles in all the roads of Dhaka city. This can improve our traffic system a lot.”

Some foreigners also participated in this event. They enjoyed the lively event a lot. One of the foreigners, Jillian Rokey who came from Philippine said: “It is really a good feeling for me. To practice the ride for 16^th December, many local Bangladeshi cyclists are gathered here. Some people discouraged me to come to Bangladesh, because of the traffic system. But it was a great decision for me to bring my bicycle also with me. This is the best mode of transportation in Dhaka city.”

There were many female cyclists also in the event. Jillian also said: “the number of female cyclist in the road is comparatively low than my country. But I can see quite a number of female cyclists in this event which makes me very happy.”

When the cyclists return back; Photo: Dolon Champa Dutta

It is not sure that the world record will be created or not by Bangladesh. Mozammel Haque, the founder of BD Cyclist said: “there is a proverb, 100 Bengalese cannot work together. We want to break this talk. We do not know we will be able to achieve the goal or not, but if we can do it then it will be the gift for our country in the month of victory.”

The whole team of BD Cyclist organizes this event by themselves.“We are doing this event without taking any help from others. We actually want to create an example for our next generation,” Mozammel added.

The longest single line bicycling record was created by United State of America (USA) in 2010. In 2015, Bosnia-Herzegovina broke this record. Now this is time for Bangladesh to write the record newly.