Becky Horsbrugh, a British journalist, will swim through Bangla Channel to raise awareness and fund to prevent child downing in Bangladesh. Becky as the first British citizen will start the swimming at 08:30am on  Sunday from Shahparir Dwip in Teknaf towards St Martin Island, which is termed as Bangla Channel, through 16km open swimming on the Bay of Bengal, reports BSS. "I want to contribute to raise awareness, and even more, prevent child  downing," she said at a press conference held at Dhaka Reporters' Unity yesterday.

She said 50 children die every day in Bangladesh in drowning which  astonished her as the figure is only 15 annually in the United Kingdom. Terming swimming as a fundamental life saving right, Becky who also works as swimming instructor, said everyone has the right of learning this basic skill to save life.

Legendary Bangladeshi swimmer Brojen Das was the first Asian to swim the English Channel in 1958 but none of the British citizens has swum the Bangla Channel yet.

"If I become successful of swimming the Bangla Channel, I will make it familiar in UK," said Becky who also works for the Associated Press (AP).

She also shared her experience about her first visit to Bangladesh last  year and why she got interested to revisit and take up such a challenge. The journalist-cum-swimming instructor said her intension is also raising fund for Centre for Injury Prevention, and Research, Bangladesh (CIPRB) which is working to learn the children to swim in different parts in the country.

Country's first Mount Everest conqueror Musa Ibrahim, who crossed the  Bangla Chaneel in 2016, and his team will guide and provide necessary  assistance to Becky during the crossing of Bangla Chanel.