On September 19, 2025, the Turkish Airlines ActivePulse Half Marathon 2025 transformed Hatirjheel into a giant running festival. The event carried one bold theme: “Run for Unity.” Judging by the crowd, people clearly took that message seriously.
More than 3,000 runners joined the race across three categories. There was a 21.095-kilometer half-marathon, a 7.321-kilometer challenge run, and a fun run for families and children. From seasoned athletes to nervous first-timers, everyone found a place on the starting line.
And this was no ordinary local race. For the first time, ActivePulse Bangladesh hosted an internationally certified AIMS event. To make that happen, organizers even brought an official route measurer from India. Bangladesh currently lacks certified route measurers for such events. That alone marked a major step forward for the country’s running scene.
Then came another milestone. Turkish Airlines joined as the title sponsor. A global airline is partnering with a Bangladeshi running event for the very first time. Organizers leaned fully into the airline theme. The entire event glowed in Turkish Airlines red.
Picture: ActivePulse Bangladesh.
The race experience even felt like boarding a flight. “At the start, we had a take-off theme. At the finish, we had a landing theme,” explained Md. Tanvir Hasan, Founder of ActivePulse Bangladesh. Before runners began, airline-style announcements played through speakers. The “pilot” gave race instructions just like a cabin crew briefing before departure. And, participants loved it.
The atmosphere felt festive from the beginning. Music echoed around Hatirjheel. Volunteers guided runners through packed zones. Families gathered near barricades, cheering strangers like lifelong friends.
The race also promoted bigger goals beyond fitness. Organizers linked the event to Sustainable Development Goals, including good health and stronger communities. That message appeared throughout the venue.
Before race day, another major launch took place. At the event expo, Limitless Magazine released its first edition. The launch added extra excitement to an already highly anticipated event. İslam Güre, General Manager at Turkish Airlines in Bangladesh, attended as the special guest. The race expo took place with support from Renaissance Dhaka Gulshan Hotel, the event’s hospitality partner.
For the organizers, the event felt deeply personal. “It was a milestone for us,” said Md. Tanvir Hasan. “We organized such a large event for the first time.”
Picture: ActivePulse Bangladesh.
Then came one of the event’s biggest talking points – the finisher jersey. In many international races, finishers proudly wear special jerseys after completing the event. In Bangladesh, that tradition barely existed. ActivePulse decided to change that. The idea came from the founders’ experiences abroad. They had seen finisher jerseys at races in Singapore and Malaysia. So they introduced the concept locally for half-marathon runners. “For the first time in Bangladesh, we gave official finisher jerseys,” explained Md. Tanvir Hasan.
The response was immediate. Runners proudly posed for photos wearing the jerseys after crossing the finish line. For many participants, the shirt became more than fabric. It became proof of discipline, sweat, and stubborn determination.
Some stories stood out more than others. Participant Shumi Dinku shared her emotional first half-marathon experience online. “Alhamdulillah, for the first time, I completed a half-marathon,” she wrote. “The final stretch was very tough, but I finished it. This was not just a race. It was a journey of challenging my limits.” Her finish time was 187 minutes. More importantly, she crossed the line smiling.
Picture: ActivePulse Bangladesh.
Community spirit also played a huge role during the event. Another runner highlighted the deeper reason many people keep returning to such races. “It is much more fun running with your soul mates than running alone,” he said. That simple line captured the heart of the entire event.
The Turkish Airlines ActivePulse Half Marathon was never only about medals or finishing jerseys. It was about people moving together. Friends pacing each other. Strangers sharing water bottles. Communities growing stronger through movement.
As the final runners crossed the Hatirjheel finish line, volunteers handed out medals, jerseys, and cheers – the universal language of endurance sports. Yet almost everyone asked the same question before leaving. “When is the next race?” And perhaps that is why the event mattered so much.
