From Prescription to Passion
Prof. Dr. Saklayen Russel is a leading Vascular and Endovascular Surgeon in Bangladesh and a familiar face on social media with nearly 2 million followers. He completed his MBBS from Dhaka Medical College and MS in Cardiovascular Surgery from BSMMU, where he also served for 11 years.
As the Founder and Head of the Department of Vascular Surgery at Ibrahim Cardiac Hospital, he has performed over 10,000 complex vascular and endovascular surgeries. Beyond the operating room, Dr. Russel is a passionate health advocate, fitness promoter, and pioneer in endurance sports. He is the first Bangladeshi doctor to swim across the Bay of Bengal’s “Bangla Channel” and to complete the Ironman 70.3 Challenge and the Ironman European Championship. But what drove a man like him to swim almost 4 kilometers, bike 180 kilometers, and then run a full 42.2km marathon–all in one go? For Saklayen, it began with pain.
Picture: Dr. Saklayen Russel.
Back in 2016, he hopped on his bike to Rangpur, desperate to see his son. A father’s love fueled the ride, but the aftermath wasn’t pretty. He ended up needing seven months of therapy. Doctors told him to move more, to exercise regularly. That prescription didn’t just fix his body. It lit a fire that would carry him into a world he never imagined.
By 2018, with encouragement from his friend Dr. Tareq, he started running. It wasn’t just about fitness anymore. Group training gave him community, structure, and a new purpose. He trained alongside friends Arafat Bhai and Belal Bhai, even when the world shut down during COVID. That’s when he discovered the brutal challenge of IRONMAN 70.3–the Half Ironman. Could he really do it? Doubt crept in. He faced a setback in 2021 when he underwent two eye surgeries. Doctors restricted him to swimming. COVID also freed up some time, but juggling his career with training remained a test.
Picture: Dr. Saklayen Russel.
Chasing Fitness, Dreaming Bigger
For Saklayen, fitness was the real goal. But he dreamed big–ultra-trail marathons, annual Ironman 70.3 races, and even sports tourism. That year, he crossed another milestone: swimming the Bangla Channel in rough weather with Dr. Tareq. He finished it in six hours and 41 minutes. That achievement pushed him to register for Ironman 70.3 Langkawi, Malaysia, in 2022. He made history as the first Bangladeshi doctor to compete. He returned in 2023 and completed it again.
The media gave him a new identity: “IRONMAN.” That label kept him going, even on days when self-doubt tried to drag him down. But the road was never smooth. A knee injury threatened everything. Doctors warned of replacement surgery. After consulting ten specialists, he was finally cleared to continue.
Then came 2024. He entered Ironman Malaysia, but disaster struck. His goggles broke. Swimming turned into a fight. His cycling performance dropped. Worst of all, he missed a cutoff. A failure, but not the end of the road.
Picture: Dr. Saklayen Russel.
Within a week, he registered for Ironman Germany. His friends stood by him. Arafat coached him for the Half Ironman. Rakibul Islam guided him for the full event. Fellow Bangladeshis like Mahbubur Rahman and members of BD TRI cheered him on. Germany’s roads may have been flat, but fierce winds made every kilometer a war. At the finish line, he collapsed into hypothermia. Cold, sick, but unbroken.
“I’m too busy. I can’t give full-time to training. I lack fitness. Completing Ironman isn’t extraordinary–anyone can do it if they try. But for me, it was a very hard achievement,” Saklayen said.
And Saklayen’s story didn’t end there. Later in 2024, he completed the Singapore Marathon. Out of 28,000 participants, he placed 4,757 overall. The heat and 90% humidity crushed his energy after 30 kilometers. He admitted the conditions were brutal and decided not to repeat a marathon under such extremes. But finishing itself was a victory.
Picture: Dr. Saklayen Russel.
He is also a journalist and renowned news presenter, currently serving as President of the News Broadcasters Alliance Society (NBA). In addition, Dr. Russel is the General Secretary of Bangladesh Vascular Society, a life member of the Asia Pacific Vascular Society, and Founder President of Aariz Foundation, a government-registered nonprofit.
Saklayen isn’t just about endurance sports. He is an accomplished author and researcher; he has published 20 scientific papers and written 6 books, while continuing to inspire millions through his work, words, and example. Despite a demanding life, Saklayen pushed himself and inspired others to do the same.
For Saklayen, it’s not about the medals or finish lines. It’s about testing limits, embracing discomfort, and showing what the human body can do when pushed. His influence is spreading. Many runners from his department now lace up because of him. Across Bangladesh, his story is a spark.
