Wasfia Nazreen

Wasfia Nazreen
ওয়াসফিয়া নাজরীন
Wasfia in 2015.
Born (1982-10-27) 27 October 1982 (age 42)
Dhaka, Bangladesh
NationalityBangladeshi
Alma materSamye Ling
Agnes Scott College
Edinburgh Napier University
Prachyanat School of Acting & Design,
Scholastica (school)
Occupation(s)Explorer, mountaineer, storyteller, environmentalist, social worker, educator, adventurer, film producer, pilot
Known for
Parents
  • Nazmee Jahan Chowdhury (father)
  • Mahmuda Nahar (mother)
AwardsNational Geographic Adventurer (2014)
Anannya Top Ten Awards 2015
National Geographic Explorer (2016)
Explorers' Symposium People’s Choice Award Winner (2016) by National Geographic Society
Websitewasfianazreen.com

Wasfia Nazreen (Bengali: ওয়াসফিয়া নাজরীন) is a Bangladeshi mountaineer, activist, environmentalist,[1] social worker and writer.[2]

Nazreen is the first Bengali and Bangladeshi to scale K2, the world's second highest and most dangerous peak[3][4] becoming one of the 40 women in history since 1954 to have successfully scaled K2.[5]

Nazreen earlier became the first Bangladeshi and first Bengali to complete the ascent of the Seven Summits (Reinhold Messner's list) on 18 November 2015.[6][7][8][9][10] Nazreen dedicated her 2012 Mount Everest climb to the women of Bangladesh, saying: "We have achieved independence 41 years ago, but our women are yet to enjoy freedom."[11][12]

National Geographic recognized Nazreen as one of their Adventurers of the Year 2014/2015.[13] She was selected in honor of her activism and commitment to empowering women through her work in the field of adventure.[14] She was again selected as one of their Explorers in 2016,[15] becoming the only woman to hold the simultaneous titles of National Geographic Explorer and Adventurer.[16][17]

Nazreen is credited in Bangladesh history as the nation's inspiration[10] and one of the legendary women to have made a pioneering contribution.[18] Nazreen is also known for her campaigns to raise awareness of animal rights, human rights situations in Tibet, environmental impacts, Bangladeshi women's rights: including sex workers and garment factory workers, Sherpa people and other high-altitude workers' rights, and Indigenous groups.[19] In 2011, Nazreen testified at the 10th session of UNPFII: United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, against the continued oppression and land-grabbing of Adibashis, or indigenous people of Bangladesh, by people of her own ethnicity.[20]

In 2023, Nazreen was invited by the Government of France and Paris Organising Committee for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games as one of the first cohorts of athletes to be decorated in the Hall of Fame for Paris 2024. In 2021, Nazreen was one of the activists to launch UNESCO's worldwide Forum on Biodiversity.[1] In 2019, Nazreen was featured in UN Women's "Generation Equality" campaign.[21]

In 2018, Nazreen's efforts were monumental in leading and garnering international support for the Free Shahidul campaign. One of Nazreen's mentors and Bangladesh's highly decorated photojournalist Dr. Shahidul Alam was picked up by pain-clothed men shortly after giving an interview to Al Jazeera that criticized the government's violent response to the 2018 Bangladesh road safety protests. Amongst other feats during Dr. Alam's months-long imprisonment, Nazreen flew a plane with a banner message “Free our Teachers” circling around the sky of Manhattan, New York City, for one and half hours calling for press freedom in Bangladesh and beyond, while the UN was holding a General Assembly and the PM of Bangladesh was inside the building.[22][23]

In 2016 and 2017, Nazreen was named by Outside as one of 40 women in the last 40 years who have advanced and challenged the outdoor world through their leadership, innovation, and athletic feats,[24] and by Men's Journal as one of the 25 most adventurous women of the past 25 years.[25]

  1. ^ a b "UNESCO Forum on Biodiversity: On the road to Kunming". UNESCO. 20 March 2021. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  2. ^ ২০১৩ সালে বাংলাদেশের আলোচিত নারী (in Bengali). Deutsche Welle.
  3. ^ "Wasfia Nazreen becomes first Bangladeshi to summit K2". The Business Standard.
  4. ^ "Wasfia Nazreen becomes first Bangladeshi to summit K2". The Daily Star.
  5. ^ "Wasfia Nazreen returns home after making history". Prothom Alo.
  6. ^ এ সপ্তাহের সাক্ষাৎকার, Interview of the Week. BBC Bangla (in Bengali). 21 September 2011.
  7. ^ ওয়াসফিয়ার 'সেভেন সামিট' জয়. BBC বাংলা (in Bengali). 25 November 2015. Retrieved 25 November 2015.
  8. ^ এশিয়ান ওমেন্স বিশ্ববিদ‌্যালয়ে এভারেস্ট জয়ী ওয়াসফিয়া নাজরীন (in Bengali). BDEuroNews. Archived from the original on 14 August 2014. Retrieved 14 August 2014.
  9. ^ "Women Reaching Heights". Indiegogo.
  10. ^ a b "Bangladesh on Seven Summits". The Daily Star (Editorial). 27 November 2015. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  11. ^ "'V'is for Women". The Daily Star.
  12. ^ "Touching the Heavens". bdnews24.com (Opinion).
  13. ^ "The Activist: Wasfia Nazreen". National Geographic. Archived from the original on 21 October 2016. Retrieved 6 March 2015.
  14. ^ "Wasfia's Everest". The Daily Star.
  15. ^ "National Geographic Society unveils 2016 Class of Emerging Explorers". National Geographic. Archived from the original on 13 May 2016.
  16. ^ "Wasfia Makes History". Dhaka Tribune.
  17. ^ "National Geographic Explorer profile".
  18. ^ "Legendary Women in Bangladesh with Pioneering Contribution in Diverse Fields". UNB. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  19. ^ "Wasfia and two other women". bdnews24.com (Opinion).
  20. ^ "Who is 'Indigenous?'". FORUM (Opinion).
  21. ^ "I am Generation Equality: Wasfia Nazreen, mountaineer and activist". UN Women. 13 December 2019. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  22. ^ "Free Shahidul: Wasfia's message displayed across New York skyline". Dhaka Tribune.
  23. ^ "Message in NY sky says 'Free Shahidul'". The Daily Star.
  24. ^ "The Future is Female and these 40 Women are proof". Outside.
  25. ^ "The 25 most Adventurous Women of the past 25 years". Men's Journal.