After creating a milestone by travelling to Antarctica earlier this year, Bangladeshi explorer and content creator Abu Mohammad Salah Uddin, widely known as Salahuddin Sumon, along with travel writer and tourism entrepreneur Nilay Kumar Biswas, has begun a new chapter of their polar exploration journey in the Arctic.
The duo has arrived in Longyearbyen, the largest settlement of the Svalbard archipelago of Norway, located deep inside the Arctic Ocean. Situated at nearly 78 degrees north latitude, Longyearbyen is one of the world’s northernmost permanently inhabited settlements and serves as a gateway to the High Arctic.
Surrounded by glaciers, mountains, frozen fjords and vast wilderness, Svalbard offers a rare glimpse into the extreme beauty of the Arctic. The region is known for its unique wildlife, including polar bears, Arctic foxes, reindeer, seals, walruses and a variety of seabirds.
Salahuddin Sumon and Nilay Kumar Biswas reached Svalbard in early June, when the region experiences the Midnight Sun, a natural phenomenon where daylight continues for almost 24 hours due to its location above the Arctic Circle.
The expedition began from Dhaka, with the explorers travelling through Amsterdam and Oslo before reaching Longyearbyen, the starting point of their Arctic adventure.
“This is an extraordinary opportunity to experience both ends of the Earth in a single year — Antarctica and the Arctic,” said Salahuddin Sumon. “I want to capture the beauty, challenges and uniqueness of the Arctic and share this experience with Bengali-speaking audiences around the world.”
Through his YouTube channel “Salahuddin Sumon,” he plans to document the journey and highlight the landscapes, wildlife and human life of one of the planet’s most remote regions.
For Nilay Kumar Biswas, the Arctic expedition represents the fulfilment of a long-held dream.
“Standing in the High Arctic feels unreal. This is one of the most remote places on Earth, far away from my homeland. Experiencing both polar regions in the same year is a moment I will always remember,” he said.
Nilay, who has travelled extensively across the world, is also known for his travel features and efforts to promote tourism through storytelling.
The expedition has received sponsorship support from Dot Internet, with its CEO Prodip Dhali backing the team’s journey across one of the most challenging environments on Earth.
With this Arctic mission, Salahuddin Sumon and Nilay Kumar Biswas aim to introduce Bangladeshi audiences to the wonders of the polar world, sharing stories of extreme landscapes, wildlife and survival in the High Arctic through Bengali narratives.
