BDCyclists (Bengali: বিডিসাইক্লিস্টস) is a cycling group and community in Bangladesh. It was founded in May 2011 by software developer Mozammel Haque and his friends. The group is one of the largest cycling communities in Bangladesh, with its Facebook page reaching approximately 150,000 members as of 2022.
Overview
BDCyclists was formed in May 2011 when a small group of like-minded individuals began riding bicycles outside the city on weekends. The community grew rapidly through word-of-mouth and social media, and by 2013 it had gained significant media attention in Bangladesh, including television interviews and coverage in mainstream advertising and television dramas.
The group states as one of its goals the aim to convert 5% of the car-owning population of Dhaka to cycle commuters, addressing issues of traffic congestion and pollution in one of the world's most densely populated cities.
Activities
BDCyclists has organized regular weekly rides, including:
- Bike Friday – the group's most popular weekend ride, which reached its 100th iteration in January 2014, typically attracting around 250 cyclists.
- BDC Nightriders
- Josshila Saturday
The group also organizes BDCyclists Beginner's Lesson, a free cycling lesson program held every Saturday morning in Dhaka's Abahani field, teaching people of all ages how to ride a bicycle.
BDCyclists organizes annual rides to celebrate national days, including Bangladesh's Independence Day (স্বাধীনতা দিবস), Bengali New Year (পহেলা বৈশাখ), and Victory Day (বিজয় দিবস). It also conducts social and community service events such as the 64 Good Acts campaign and the Eid Mubarak Ride, during which members distribute gifts to underprivileged children in Dhaka.
The group also organizes Critical Mass rides, a global monthly cycling event held in over 300 cities worldwide.
Guinness World Record
On December 16, 2016 (Victory Day of Bangladesh), BDCyclists set the Guinness World Record for the Longest single line of bicycles (moving), when 1,186 cyclists rode their bicycles in a continuous single line in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The group held this record from 2016 until it was broken in 2019.
TeamBDC World Record
In 2021, the group's competitive cycling team, TeamBDC, set a relay cycling world record for the Greatest Distance Covered by a Cycling Relay Under 48 Hours, travelling 1,670 kilometers in 48 hours. The attempt was made by four riders—Drabir, Tanvir, Rakib, and Alauddin—along with over 30 pacers, on a 1.7 km looped track in Purbachal, Dhaka.
Recognition
BDCyclists has been featured in international media, including BBC News (as part of the Queen's Baton Relay coverage in 2013) and The Guardian. The group has also been covered extensively by Bangladeshi news outlets such as The Daily Star, Prothom Alo, and New Age.
