The first kid in class

Most, if not all, breaking news share a common characteristic. They have a tendency of breaking your heart. Near the end of March 2014, several media publications, including bdnews24.com published the heartbreaking news of Musa Ibrahim never making it to the top of Mount Everest (as reported by 'Nepal Parbat', a publication under Nepal Mountaineering Association) and hailed Nishat Majumder and M. A. Muhit as the first Bangladeshis to summit. The news picked pace at the rate of an unbearable, confusing forest fire in social media and major television channels. Debates stirred – did Musa Ibrahim actually climb the highest peak in the world, or was it all a hoax? Why shouldn't 'the messenger' from Nepal carry his name, and what is the legitimacy of his achievements?

A lesson in history, however seems to respond to many questions being raised today. In 2010 when Musa Ibrahim returned home after summiting Mount Everest, concerns were immediately presented as to whether he has sufficient proof to support his 'victory.' A press conference in the presence of his sherpas was called where Ibrahim shared his story and distributed photographs, videos and contacts of his co-summiteers for public discretion. Unconvinced, a series of blogposts in popular portals such as somewhereinblog.net and sachalayatan.com appeared where Ibrahim's 'story' was challenged and thorough investigation demanded. Titled 'Neverest', the series questioned the credibility of Ibrahim's certificate, the technical soundness of his photographs, the missing details of the journal he kept during his Everest expedition (later compiled into a book titled 'Pahar Churar Haatchhani: Keokradong theke Everest', first published under Bangla Academy in February 2012) and whether at all, he had climbed the likes of Annapurna IV amongst his long list of successful summits. In perhaps the longest recorded discussion and analysis occurring on our local blogging ecosystem, a series of counterarguments  (http://www.somewhereinblog.net/blog/Fusion5/29247245) were posted with expert opinions from photographers, imagemetricians, mathematicians, veteran mountaineers, government sources and researchers. The latter compiled significant evidence in light of the queries raised, explaining step-by-step how and why in fact, Ibrahim is the first Bangladeshi to summit Mount Everest. As expected, the critics rested their case and the country rejoiced.

While it's a stunner version two-point-o for those who followed the series during those months, the issue revamping itself four years later appears to be a no-brainer for many. Since 2010, Photoshop has advanced enormously, re-touching lives, making our pimples disappear and cropping out rainy days to sunny ones. Surely, with such technology at our disposal, Ibrahim must have 'window shopped' himself in a convincing photograph and fooled, in what is to become the single greatest con in South Asian history (if not the entire world), a nation of 170 million people. Surely, that is a more believable theory than simply accepting Ibrahim as a successful summiteers of Mount Everest.

We realise the world is a tough place and good things don't just happen. They require immersive thinking, careful risk assessments, hazardous implementation, a singularly identified and universally accepted near-death experience (for example, "I nearly slipped while descending" as opposed to "my oxygen supply ran low") and the validation of everyone who's near, not quite dear. In one of the posts from 2010, Ibrahim's friendship with his co-summiteers was questioned and if required, whether he would have international alibi to support his claim of summiting Everest. Unsurprisingly (which at this point is a shared emotion), online news portals and opinion corners even as fresh as yesterday have expressed deep concerns on the same issue. The recent release of Australian Everest winner Brendan O'Mahoney's video (who spotted Ibrahim both while climbing and descending) in response to the accusations against Musa Ibrahim surged a new line of arguments – did O'Mahoney himself climb the Everest? Why now, especially since Ibrahim is in Australia during this period and O'Mahoney miraculously (and God forbid) happens to be Australian? While earlier evidence has already clarified the matter including O'Mahoney (and co-climber Stephen Green) both mentioning Ibrahim in articles featuring their expedition (http://www.edinburghspotlight.com/2011/05/edinburgh-lad-scales-everest/), skeptics have sought further clarification on the matter.

Facing sceptics, conversely has been Ibrahim's daily ordeal since his summit. If proving photographs (https://www.flickr.com/photos/121877085@N07/) in accordance to ridge lines, Buddha statues and surrounding scenario aren't enough, then fresh accusations surge against news sources and how every outlet that has ever reported his feat is incredulous, untrustworthy and terrible. This list of 'untrustworthy' sources include BBC, Deutsche Welle, AFP and Reuters (a complete list is available at http://www.somewhereinblog.net/blog/Fusion5/29255178) – and again, unsurprisingly, these same sources, when reporting for any other Bangladeshi summiter is authentic, internationally recognized and well researched. Surely, outlets such as 8000ers.com (http://www.8000ers.com/cms/de/news-mainmenu-176.html?start=90) or The Himalayan Database (http://www.himalayandatabase.com/2010%20Season%20Lists/2010%20Spring%20A4.html) are foolish, in spite of publishing a complete and updated list of all Everest summiteers; meanwhile an independently run body such as Nepal Mountaineering Association that is not directly affiliated with Nepal Tourism Board and that accidentally left out Junko Tabei, the first Japanese woman to summit Mount Everest is presumably a far more believable source of information.

Don't get me wrong – I am under no false pretence of neutrality. In a situation that is inevitably imbalanced, where sides have been picked, where one man's quest is repeatedly under the microscope, I don't see a purpose in being neutral. Had it been so, when Ibrahim's achievement was being challenged, it calls for equitable action against M. A. Muhit, Nishat Majumder and Wasfia Nazreen. If an international court is to be set up, then it calls for balanced evidence and representation from all parties – and inevitably justifies Ibrahim to challenge, in the same court, his fellow mountaineers. Under Chapter 21 Section 499 of Bangladesh's penal code, Ibrahim can take legal actions against any individual who challenges his Everest summit without legitimate proof, while the court can ask for equal lengths of evidence to support claims from anyone who has climbed Everest and needs to prove their feat in response to Ibrahim's legal standing.

Many have asked, why Musa Ibrahim? Why, again and again? In a country where we do not hesitate to challenge the first Nobel Laureate, where we blatantly call the woman who stands in a suit next to Hillary Clinton a 'foreign' sex worker, where we ruthlessly bully the meek, chubby kid in class who sits at the front row and emerges first in his class – why not Musa Ibrahim?

Paulo Coelho, in blunt optimism writes, "When a person really desires something, the whole universe conspires to help that person realize his dream." In his statement after his return, Musa Ibrahim confesses shamelessly how he had always dreamt of summiting Mount Everest. On some days, I wish he had not been so shameless in his ambitions – perhaps the universe would have thought twice before helping him to achieve it. In a journey that tests one's mettle, heart, spirituality and existence to the core, that surpasses all pessimism and puts you on top of the world only to teach you humility, there needs to be faith that the universe will conspire again – because, as a nation, clearly we must have committed a crime in being equally proud and excited of all four Everest winners.

————————————

Sabhanaz Rashid Diya is a writer, photographer and journalist.