Bangladeshi content creator and explorer Abu Mohammad Salah Uddin, popularly known as Salahuddin Sumon, and travel writer, entrepreneur and passionate traveller Nilay Kumar Biswas have embarked on a new polar adventure, exploring the High Arctic after completing their Antarctica expedition earlier this year.
As part of their ongoing polar expedition series, the duo has reached Longyearbyen, the world’s northernmost sizeable settlement, located in the Svalbard archipelago of Norway in the Arctic Ocean. Situated at around 78 degrees north latitude, Svalbard lies halfway between mainland Norway and the North Pole and is considered one of the most remote inhabited regions on Earth.
Longyearbyen is famous for its breathtaking Arctic landscapes, including glaciers, snow-covered mountains, frozen fjords and unique wildlife. The region is home to polar bears, Arctic foxes, reindeer, walruses, seals and numerous seabirds. Despite its extreme climate, the area also supports rare Arctic vegetation adapted to harsh conditions.
The explorers arrived in early June, during the spectacular Midnight Sun season, when the sun remains visible above the horizon for nearly 24 hours, creating continuous daylight across the Arctic wilderness.
Their journey started from Dhaka, flying with Turkish Airlines to Amsterdam before travelling onward to Oslo and finally reaching Longyearbyen, the gateway to the High Arctic. Expressing his excitement, Salahuddin Sumon said exploring both the Arctic and Antarctica in the same year is a remarkable achievement.
“ It is a great opportunity for me to explore both polar regions in the same year — Antarctica and the Arctic — and present these incredible places to my audience in Bengali. I believe this is something unique for any Bangladeshi content creator,” he said.
He added that creating Bengali content from one of the most remote and extreme environments on Earth would offer a special experience for his viewers. His Arctic expedition stories will be published on his YouTube channel “Salahuddin Sumon” after completing the journey.
Nilay Kumar Biswas, who has accompanied Salahuddin Sumon on previous expeditions, described reaching the High Arctic as a dream come true. “Standing in the far north of our planet is an unforgettable experience. Exploring both polar regions in the same year is something truly special,” he said. Nilay, known for his travel writing and tourism initiatives, has spent years exploring and promoting unique destinations around the world.
The challenging Arctic expedition has been sponsored by Dot Internet, with its CEO Prodip Dhali providing continuous support for the journey. Through this expedition, Salahuddin Sumon and Nilay Kumar Biswas aim to showcase the beauty, wildlife and mysteries of the High Arctic to Bangladeshi audiences through Bengali storytelling, bringing the wonders of one of the world’s most extreme regions closer to home
