Md. Atiqur Rahman earned his M.Com (Accounting) in 2005, and started his career professionally with Ahmed Shahid & Co., a well-known Chartered Accountancy firm. He joined BAT Bangladesh PLC in 2006 and has established a good reputation in the company for discipline, integrity and commitment over the past 20 years. He is currently serving as the Assistant Company Secretary, involved in corporate governance and compliance.
But years of excessive workload and the work lifestyle that was largely sedentary, particularly during the COVID-19 era, started to take their toll on his health. He had become diabetic, was suffering from both high blood pressure and cholesterol problems, and had gained weight to about 96 kg or so, which was a sign that he needed to change.
Picture: Md. Atiqur Rahman.
It happened when he was invited to participate in a marathon organised by Inspiring Bangladesh in July 2022 by his colleague, Marufa Ferdous. He has never been in a sports career after a road accident in 2002; he was just attending the event with the goal of finishing. That day, he finished the 7.5K distance in 1 hour and 36 minutes, which was surprising for him and also reignited his confidence in physical activities.
With peer encouragement, he soon started to take part in regular weekend runs. This casual activity began to become a way of life characterized by health, friendship, and community. Since then, he has run in over 300 running events in Bangladesh and marathons abroad, such as in Thailand and Malaysia.
Running soon turned into a passion and a challenge to endurance. Each race tested his endurance and mental strength from the humid midnight starts in Bangkok to the challenging terrain in Cox's Bazar, Rangamati, Shamsher Nagar, and Moulvibazar.
Picture: Md. Atiqur Rahman.
From these experiences, he learned how to be patient and persistent, and to work with a high level of intensity. The change was not just in sport. Running re-balanced his life, normalized his blood pressure and cholesterol, and lowered his weight from 96kg to 80kg. Most significantly, it gave him a sense of balance, clarity, and renewed purpose for his everyday life and improved his physical and mental health.
His journey also expanded into the organization of races. He started as a Race Marshal during the Turkish Airlines ActivePulse Half Marathon 2025 and later became actively involved with ActivePulse Bangladesh.
From this experience, he gained valuable insight into the effort, coordination, and teamwork that are needed to successfully organize large-scale running events, further enriching his understanding of the community and giving him a new perspective.
Picture: Md. Atiqur Rahman.
He now serves as a Race Marshal and Mentor of ActivePulse Bangladesh, supporting its mission as well as helping in its growth.
He views running far more than a sport; today, it's a journey of discipline, resilience, and continuous growth. His next goal is to run a race over 100 km, but his overall message is very clear and simple: “One Step Can Change a Life.”
What began as an effort to restore personal health has now become a lifelong commitment to fitness, discipline, and positivity, reflecting how the running community can transform individuals and inspire a healthier and more active society.
