Antony Rahman takes a seat with pro cyclist Niaz Morshed to uncover his love for the road.
Bangladesh is a truly beautiful and wondrous place, a fact that anyone born and raised here can attest to. Sadly, few of us will ever get to experience this country’s many faceted appeal and its hidden wonders. However, cyclist Niaz would beg to differ. Through cycling, Niaz has set out to explore and experience as much of Bangladesh as he possibly can. The accomplished cyclist is a member of the bicycling hobbyist group BDcyclists.
For Niaz, the thrill of cycling lies in meeting people, alongside the sheer love for adventure and exploring. “Cycling is a beloved hobby and a wonderful way to exercise, but the main reason I am so drawn to it day after day is the avenues it opens to travel around our country and bask in its splendour,” he goes on to say. He aims with his exploits not only to explore Bangladesh, but to inspire curiosity and a love for travel and exploration among others as well.
For Niaz, the thrill of cycling lies in meeting people, alongside the sheer love for adventure and exploring. “Cycling is a beloved hobby and a wonderful way to exercise, but the main reason I am so drawn to it day after day is the avenues it opens to travel around our country and bask in its splendour,” he goes on to say. He aims with his exploits not only to explore Bangladesh, but to inspire curiosity and a love for travel and exploration among others as well.
For Niaz, the thrill of cycling lies in meeting people, alongside the sheer love for adventure and exploring. “Cycling is a beloved hobby and a wonderful way to exercise, but the main reason I am so drawn to it day after day is the avenues it opens to travel around our country and bask in its splendour,” he goes on to say. He aims with his exploits not only to explore Bangladesh, but to inspire curiosity and a love for travel and exploration among others as well.
Niaz has achieved many great feats in his time cycling across the country, such as being the first to ride through the Indian Khardung La mountain pass which is the highest motorable road in the Indian subcontinent at 18,300m above sea level, and cycling 500km over 12 days. Despite all this, he does not believe himself to be a professional cyclist.
In reply to being asked why he wished to become a Pro Cyclist, Niaz replies, “I do not consider myself as such, I’d rather prefer being known as a traveller with a passion to learn about the road, and help those who are willing to experience Bangladesh to its fullest.” This, along with his loving and supportive family and friends, remain his greatest source of inspiration continuing resolve. He regularly helps foreign visitors travel through Bangladesh, and serves as a sort of tour guide to the lesser known sights and travel destinations of our country. In this vein, he wishes to open a bike touring school one day, not only to share his accumulated knowledge of cycling, but also to impart the yearning for travel and exploration unto others.
By the end of the conversation, Niaz mentions that the cycling lifestyle provided him with everything he truly desired in life. “It consists of adventure, learning as well as an unmatched conduit for exploration both of the country and of the self,” he explains. On a final note, Niaz says that his ultimate goal in life is to travel the whole world with his cycle, indulging in his passion and joy with everyone who shares his wanderlust and adventurous spirit.