0:00:02 > 0:00:05In less than a year's time, the 20th Commonwealth Games
0:00:05 > 0:00:07will be staged in Glasgow. As part of the build-up to that great
0:00:07 > 0:00:11sporting event, the Queen's Baton, carrying a message from
0:00:11 > 0:00:16Her Majesty, is visiting every nation and territory of the Commonwealth.
0:00:16 > 0:00:18This is the story of the baton
0:00:18 > 0:00:20and the build-up to the games so far.
0:00:45 > 0:00:48Hello and welcome to a special programme marking the start
0:00:48 > 0:00:53of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games Queen's Baton Relay.
0:00:55 > 0:00:58The baton began its 288-day journey at a special ceremony
0:00:58 > 0:01:02at Buckingham Palace earlier this month.
0:01:02 > 0:01:06Coming up, we have highlights of that ceremony and a special update
0:01:06 > 0:01:10from Mark Beaumont as he travels around the globe with the baton.
0:01:10 > 0:01:13But first, let's have a look at what's in store for Glasgow
0:01:13 > 0:01:15next summer.
0:01:17 > 0:01:21It's August, 1930 and the Canadian city of Hamilton is
0:01:21 > 0:01:24the scene of the British Empire Games.
0:01:24 > 0:01:28It was a small affair - only six sports and just 11 teams -
0:01:28 > 0:01:32but it was the start of what is now the third-largest multisport event
0:01:32 > 0:01:36in the world and next year, it's coming to Scotland.
0:01:38 > 0:01:40Athletes from 70 nations
0:01:40 > 0:01:45and territories will arrive in Glasgow, battling for 216 medals
0:01:45 > 0:01:48in 17 sporting events, including a record 22 Para sport events.
0:01:52 > 0:01:55Some of the biggest names in the world of sport will be there -
0:01:55 > 0:01:58Jessica Ennis, Tom Daley in the pool,
0:01:58 > 0:02:01as many of Team GB's medal-winning cycling, swimming
0:02:01 > 0:02:05and gymnastics teams now compete for their home nations.
0:02:05 > 0:02:09Over ten days, Glasgow will be at the heart of the games,
0:02:09 > 0:02:12with events at four major sites in the city.
0:02:12 > 0:02:14But some events will be staged further afield,
0:02:14 > 0:02:16including Edinburgh and Dundee.
0:02:16 > 0:02:19And the triathlon, rather fittingly, will be
0:02:19 > 0:02:22held at the Strathclyde Country Park near Hamilton,
0:02:22 > 0:02:25whose namesake is where it all began 83 years ago.
0:02:30 > 0:02:31At the beginning of October,
0:02:31 > 0:02:35it was one of Scotland's most successful sportsmen, Sir Chris Hoy,
0:02:35 > 0:02:39who had the honour of taking the baton to Buckingham Palace.
0:02:39 > 0:02:42There, the Queen would place inside it a message to be
0:02:42 > 0:02:44carried around the Commonwealth.
0:02:45 > 0:02:48The baton incorporates modern technology
0:02:48 > 0:02:51and traditional Scottish craftsmanship.
0:02:51 > 0:02:53Here's BBC Scotland's Commonwealth Games reporter
0:02:53 > 0:02:58Jane Lewis on how the Glasgow 2014 baton was created.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17We took culture, message and sport and we brainstormed
0:03:17 > 0:03:22and what I was trying to get was a link between these three words.
0:03:22 > 0:03:26We've kind of broken the design down into various elements, so
0:03:26 > 0:03:28you've got the puzzle box mechanism,
0:03:28 > 0:03:30you've got the way the message is housed,
0:03:30 > 0:03:33the latticework and the woodwork - and the electronics, of course.
0:03:35 > 0:03:39The handle of the baton is made from elm wood,
0:03:39 > 0:03:43sourced from the Isle of Cumbrae, an island off Western Scotland,
0:03:43 > 0:03:47and in tribute to Scotland's shipbuilding heritage,
0:03:47 > 0:03:51it was crafted using a special technique employed by boatyards.
0:03:52 > 0:03:56The bird's mouth technique is a technique for making masts.
0:03:56 > 0:03:58You make eight identical slats with a "V" groove in them
0:03:58 > 0:04:00and glue the whole lot together
0:04:00 > 0:04:03and it gives you a very strong, very stable round shape.
0:04:03 > 0:04:05It creates a hollow space inside
0:04:05 > 0:04:09that we can use for running electronics down inside the space.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15From the baton's handle to its lattice frame.
0:04:15 > 0:04:18Look around Glasgow at some of the construction and architecture -
0:04:18 > 0:04:22there's a lot of lattice work, especially with the Clyde, you know - the cranes.
0:04:22 > 0:04:27Glasgow again providing the inspiration as multi-layers of pure
0:04:27 > 0:04:33titanium powder fused together by a laser produced a stunning effect.
0:04:35 > 0:04:39It's inside this frame where the Queen's games message will be
0:04:39 > 0:04:41carried around the Commonwealth -
0:04:41 > 0:04:47a central feature lit up by LED lighting. Quite a bright light.
0:04:48 > 0:04:52So to the top of the baton and a granite gemstone,
0:04:52 > 0:04:54unique to Scotland.
0:04:54 > 0:04:58That gap doesn't have to be there, I could move all of this up... Yes.
0:04:58 > 0:05:00..and...have this lower. Yes.
0:05:00 > 0:05:04The stone, from the uninhabited island of Ailsa Craig will be
0:05:04 > 0:05:07released by a puzzle mechanism,
0:05:07 > 0:05:11adding a quirky twist to the tale of the making of the baton.
0:05:13 > 0:05:15We've achieved something which is truly great - I love it.
0:05:15 > 0:05:18I absolutely love it and I think a credit to the team
0:05:18 > 0:05:19that pulled it together.
0:05:21 > 0:05:25BAGPIPES PLAY
0:05:25 > 0:05:27So that's the story of the baton
0:05:27 > 0:05:29and who better to deliver that creation,
0:05:29 > 0:05:31than Sir Chris Hoy himself.
0:05:31 > 0:05:33BAGPIPES PLAY
0:05:35 > 0:05:38He was the one chosen to march down the Mall
0:05:38 > 0:05:40and take the baton to Buckingham Palace.
0:05:44 > 0:05:47There, the Queen will place her message to the Commonwealth
0:05:47 > 0:05:49inside the baton.
0:05:55 > 0:05:58That message will remain sealed in there until it's read out
0:05:58 > 0:06:02at the opening ceremony of the games in Glasgow next July.
0:06:06 > 0:06:08Sir Chris, 11-time world champion winner,
0:06:08 > 0:06:11six-time Olympic champion
0:06:11 > 0:06:15and two-time Commonwealth champion was accompanied by the stirring
0:06:15 > 0:06:19sound of the Pipes and Drums 1st Battalion Scots Guards
0:06:19 > 0:06:22and the Pipes and Drums 1st Battalion
0:06:22 > 0:06:23the Royal Regiment of Scotland.
0:06:31 > 0:06:35The Queen's Baton Relay will travel a staggering 118,000 miles
0:06:35 > 0:06:39on its journey to 70 nations and regions of the Commonwealth -
0:06:39 > 0:06:41that's a distance equivalent
0:06:41 > 0:06:43to almost five times around the Equator.
0:06:48 > 0:06:51It will touch the lives of thousands as it visits some
0:06:51 > 0:06:55of the largest countries and some of the smallest islands in the world.
0:06:58 > 0:07:00It is of course all part of the build-up to the
0:07:00 > 0:07:03Commonwealth Games in Glasgow next summer.
0:07:03 > 0:07:06Before we see the Queen launch the baton on its international
0:07:06 > 0:07:09journey, here's Hazel Irvine with a look ahead to the highlights
0:07:09 > 0:07:13of one of the world's great sporting events.
0:07:16 > 0:07:18Glasgow - Scotland's biggest city.
0:07:19 > 0:07:24In 2014, it will be home of the 20th Commonwealth Games.
0:07:24 > 0:07:26From the opening ceremony at Celtic Park,
0:07:26 > 0:07:29the rugby sevens at Ibrox Stadium and the athletics
0:07:29 > 0:07:33and closing ceremony at Hampden Park, Glasgow will make the best
0:07:33 > 0:07:38use of the old, but combine it with the new - venues rebuilt,
0:07:38 > 0:07:41revamped and rejuvenated with the games in mind.
0:07:44 > 0:07:47This is Scotland's national stadium, the home of Scottish football,
0:07:47 > 0:07:49Hampden Park. But next summer,
0:07:49 > 0:07:52the famous Hampden roar will welcome some of the true track
0:07:52 > 0:07:55and field greats like Usain Bolt, Jess Ennis-Hill
0:07:55 > 0:07:59and Sally Pearson, as well as home-grown Scottish
0:07:59 > 0:08:03talents like a Eilish McColgan and Commonwealth medallist Eilidh Child.
0:08:06 > 0:08:10The Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome is the jewel in Glasgow's Commonwealth
0:08:10 > 0:08:14crown and it's already hosted World Cup and World Championship events.
0:08:14 > 0:08:16It's been open a year
0:08:16 > 0:08:19and it's already officially the world's busiest velodrome.
0:08:19 > 0:08:22Now, albeit that Sir Chris himself will not be competing here,
0:08:22 > 0:08:27the likes of Ed Clancy, Laura Trott, Jason Kenny and Becky James are all
0:08:27 > 0:08:32desperate to get their wheels on this very steep-sided and VERY fast track.
0:08:34 > 0:08:36Elsewhere in the city, Mark Cavendish,
0:08:36 > 0:08:40Sir Bradley Wiggins and David Miller hope to race on the roads...
0:08:42 > 0:08:47Tom Daley will make a splash at the Edinburgh Royal Commonwealth Pool...
0:08:47 > 0:08:48Scotland's own Michael Jamieson
0:08:48 > 0:08:52and Hannah Miley will swim at the Tollcross Pool
0:08:52 > 0:08:56and Louis Smith in gymnastics will feature at the brand-new Hydro Arena.
0:08:58 > 0:09:01There's been unprecedented demand for tickets -
0:09:01 > 0:09:052.3 million applications for the 1 million tickets available.
0:09:05 > 0:09:09Over 50,000 people - a record for any previous Commonwealth Games -
0:09:09 > 0:09:13stepped forward to become one of the 15,000 volunteers.
0:09:13 > 0:09:18Next July, 4,500 athletes from 70 nations around the globe
0:09:18 > 0:09:22will make their way to this city with an estimated 1 billion people
0:09:22 > 0:09:26glued to their television sets during the 20th Commonwealth Games.
0:09:26 > 0:09:29Glasgow is gearing up to be the centre of attention next summer
0:09:29 > 0:09:32and no matter what the weather throws at us,
0:09:32 > 0:09:34this great city will put on a great show.
0:09:39 > 0:09:42As we saw there, one of the venues in Glasgow next year will be
0:09:42 > 0:09:44the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47Here he is, speaking to Gabby Logan at Buckingham Palace after
0:09:47 > 0:09:50safely delivering the baton.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53What does it mean to you to bring the baton in here
0:09:53 > 0:09:56and deliver it to Her Majesty the Queen?
0:09:56 > 0:09:57It's a massive honour
0:09:57 > 0:10:02and it brings it home just how soon these games are going to be arriving.
0:10:02 > 0:10:04This is the kind of start of the final leg of the journey,
0:10:04 > 0:10:07so it's a very exciting moment and I'm very, very proud.
0:10:07 > 0:10:09Why do you think it is that the Baton Relay captures
0:10:09 > 0:10:11the imagination so much?
0:10:11 > 0:10:14Well, it's going to go round the whole Commonwealth,
0:10:14 > 0:10:17touch all the different nations, it's going to ignite that enthusiasm
0:10:17 > 0:10:19and that excitement for these games
0:10:19 > 0:10:21and the athletes are already training hard,
0:10:21 > 0:10:24they're all ready for the games, but it's to get the general public
0:10:24 > 0:10:27aware of this huge event that is going to be taking place next year.
0:10:27 > 0:10:30And what are you most looking forward to? Well, personally,
0:10:30 > 0:10:32I'm looking forward to experiencing the games
0:10:32 > 0:10:34from the other side of the fence, you know!
0:10:34 > 0:10:37I'm no longer competing, so I'll be able to actually enjoy them
0:10:37 > 0:10:40without being so focused on performance.
0:10:40 > 0:10:44But also, beyond that, it's the kind of legacy - the fact that
0:10:44 > 0:10:46it's going to inspire a whole new generation
0:10:46 > 0:10:49and not just in Scotland and Glasgow, but wider than that.
0:10:49 > 0:10:53So many positive things are going to come out of these games.
0:10:53 > 0:10:55Well, Sir Chris, the sport is one thing,
0:10:55 > 0:10:57the culture is another as well.
0:10:57 > 0:11:00Glasgow offers a whole range of activities, both cultural
0:11:00 > 0:11:03and sporting, that people who are going to come to the city
0:11:03 > 0:11:06next year are going to enjoy and see the city at its very best.
0:11:06 > 0:11:09They will, and Glasgow is famous for being friendly
0:11:09 > 0:11:12and these are the "friendly games", so it's the perfect partnership.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15Yes, the hospitality I think will probably shock visitors
0:11:15 > 0:11:17from around the world, because Glaswegians
0:11:17 > 0:11:20are notoriously brilliant at extending their hospitality.
0:11:20 > 0:11:22It's great, and it's our chance to put on a party,
0:11:22 > 0:11:26put on a show to the rest of the Commonwealth and to really,
0:11:26 > 0:11:28you know, inspire a future generation, too.
0:11:28 > 0:11:30And you know, from the London Olympics,
0:11:30 > 0:11:34how home support can really bring out great performances.
0:11:34 > 0:11:37The Scottish athletes must be so excited. Oh, they are.
0:11:37 > 0:11:39I competed in Manchester in 2002 and we had a lot of Scottish
0:11:39 > 0:11:42fans down there supporting the Scottish team,
0:11:42 > 0:11:44but you can see how the home nation is lifted
0:11:44 > 0:11:47and there's nothing like a home games and that's why I'm sad
0:11:47 > 0:11:50I'm not competing myself, but I will be there cheering the teams on
0:11:50 > 0:11:53and enjoying the atmosphere and sampling it myself.
0:11:53 > 0:11:54Sir Chris Hoy, thank you so much.
0:11:54 > 0:11:57I can't think of anyone better, can you, to deliver
0:11:57 > 0:12:01the baton here today. Thank you so much. Thank you, my pleasure. Thank you.
0:12:01 > 0:12:03APPLAUSE
0:12:06 > 0:12:07With the baton delivered, it is
0:12:07 > 0:12:12now ready to receive the message from Her Majesty the Queen...
0:12:12 > 0:12:15Accompanied by his Royal Highness, the Duke of Edinburgh...
0:12:15 > 0:12:19His Royal Highness, Prince Imran of Malaysia...
0:12:19 > 0:12:22And The Right Honourable Lord Robert Smith of Kelvin.
0:12:24 > 0:12:30DRUMROLL
0:12:30 > 0:12:34BAND PLAYS NATIONAL ANTHEM
0:13:11 > 0:13:15This morning, we launch the Queen's Baton Relay.
0:13:15 > 0:13:20The significance of this event to the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games
0:13:20 > 0:13:22should not be underestimated.
0:13:22 > 0:13:26Years of planning and preparation has gone into putting on the games
0:13:26 > 0:13:30and we've now reached the moment when the countdown really begins.
0:13:36 > 0:13:39The baton is a tangible object.
0:13:39 > 0:13:41Thousands of people will carry it
0:13:41 > 0:13:45and they will bring the Commonwealth to life in front of our eyes.
0:13:45 > 0:13:49As the journey unfolds, we'll see a vast diversity of people,
0:13:49 > 0:13:52of landscapes and of cultures.
0:13:52 > 0:13:55The spirit of friendship that will be displayed as the baton is
0:13:55 > 0:14:00passed from hand to hand, reflects the warm welcome that nations
0:14:00 > 0:14:03and territories of the Commonwealth can expect
0:14:03 > 0:14:06when they come to Glasgow and to Scotland next summer.
0:14:07 > 0:14:11This is a historic moment for Glasgow 2014.
0:14:11 > 0:14:15We will treasure it and we look forward to following closely
0:14:15 > 0:14:18the Queen's Baton Relay on its momentous journey.
0:14:19 > 0:14:21On behalf of Glasgow 2014,
0:14:21 > 0:14:24I would now like to pass the baton to the president
0:14:24 > 0:14:28of the Commonwealth Games Federation, his Royal Highness, Prince Imran.
0:14:33 > 0:14:38The Queen's Baton Relay is the world's most engaging relay.
0:14:40 > 0:14:42It has power and it has meaning.
0:14:44 > 0:14:48The relay unites two billion citizens of the Commonwealth
0:14:48 > 0:14:54in a celebration of sport, diversity and peace.
0:14:55 > 0:14:58It will also bring the 70 nations
0:14:58 > 0:15:01and territories of the Commonwealth together.
0:15:02 > 0:15:07Every time the baton is passed, it will cement the Commonwealth
0:15:07 > 0:15:12friendship and reinforce the ways in which we are connected.
0:15:14 > 0:15:18We share history, values and goals,
0:15:18 > 0:15:22while recognising and appreciating our diversity.
0:15:24 > 0:15:27The Queen's Baton Relay brings the Commonwealth to life
0:15:27 > 0:15:31in all its glory for the world to see.
0:15:32 > 0:15:37On behalf of the Commonwealth Games Federation, it now gives me
0:15:37 > 0:15:41great pleasure to invite Her Majesty the Queen
0:15:41 > 0:15:46to place her message to the Commonwealth inside this baton.
0:16:15 > 0:16:18And with the baton now carrying its message from Her Majesty,
0:16:18 > 0:16:21it fell to Scottish sprinting hero Alan Wells, accompanied
0:16:21 > 0:16:26by Monica Dzonzi, representing UNICEF, to become the first
0:16:26 > 0:16:29baton-bearer at the start of its journey around the Commonwealth.
0:16:29 > 0:16:31APPLAUSE
0:16:41 > 0:16:44The baton was carried down the Mall by a series of bearers all
0:16:44 > 0:16:46with a close connection to the games.
0:17:02 > 0:17:06After a brief return to Glasgow, the first country on its
0:17:06 > 0:17:10international journey was India, host to the last Commonwealth Games.
0:17:11 > 0:17:14The adventurer Mark Beaumont is travelling
0:17:14 > 0:17:18around the world with the baton and was there when it landed in Delhi.
0:17:21 > 0:17:24You might expect this kind of welcome for a Bollywood star,
0:17:24 > 0:17:27but instead, it's for a baton.
0:17:27 > 0:17:30This symbol of Commonwealth friendship touched down in India
0:17:30 > 0:17:35after being sent on its journey by Her Majesty the Queen.
0:17:35 > 0:17:37This is quite a reception in New Delhi.
0:17:37 > 0:17:38I've no idea what to expect,
0:17:38 > 0:17:42but it's brilliant to see there is actually loads of excitement.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45Look at this, everyone wants to see the baton!
0:17:46 > 0:17:47At the Taj Mahal,
0:17:47 > 0:17:51it was down to Indian steeplechaser Sudha Singh to carry the baton.
0:17:51 > 0:17:53Over the next seven months,
0:17:53 > 0:17:56it will be carried by thousands of people on its way back to Glasgow.
0:17:59 > 0:18:02With each new location, its fame seemed to grow.
0:18:04 > 0:18:07Athletes from across India came out to add to the welcome.
0:18:07 > 0:18:11The baton marks the start of a countdown for medal hopefuls.
0:18:14 > 0:18:17India has been one of the most successful nations of the previous
0:18:17 > 0:18:21games and much of that medal success is thanks to its wrestlers.
0:18:21 > 0:18:24Hello, Mark. Morning! Deepak, yes? I'm Deepak.
0:18:24 > 0:18:28'Downtown wrestling houses like this train students in the ancient
0:18:28 > 0:18:31'tradition of mud wrestling and it's that heritage that produces
0:18:31 > 0:18:35'some of the country's most successful international athletes.'
0:18:35 > 0:18:40Everywhere in India, you see people, children, learning wrestling.
0:18:40 > 0:18:42What age do you start? They start...
0:18:42 > 0:18:46From the age of nine, ten.
0:18:46 > 0:18:50How old were you when you started? Maybe 11.
0:18:51 > 0:18:54And he went on to become one of the best wrestlers of India.
0:18:54 > 0:18:57I can see why! Look at the size of him!
0:18:57 > 0:19:02'This ancient, low-tech wrestling ring is at the centre of the house.
0:19:02 > 0:19:05'Every day, young athletes make it their own.
0:19:05 > 0:19:07'The preparation doubles as a heavy warm-up.
0:19:08 > 0:19:12'Every morning, they are literally against the ropes.
0:19:12 > 0:19:16'This is a monastic way of life which consists of eating,
0:19:16 > 0:19:19'sleeping and wrestling.
0:19:19 > 0:19:22'Right away, I sense there is a real feeling of brotherhood.'
0:19:22 > 0:19:23Because the lifestyle,
0:19:23 > 0:19:27because the sport is everything these young men do,
0:19:27 > 0:19:31do they have to leave the sport behind before they have family life?
0:19:31 > 0:19:33When you marry, your power fails.
0:19:33 > 0:19:37So you have to stop doing practice.
0:19:37 > 0:19:41So generally, children who marry are considered not likely to
0:19:41 > 0:19:44go into professional mud wrestling.
0:19:45 > 0:19:49There was no escaping - it was time for me to take on the expert.
0:19:49 > 0:19:52I'm 6'3", but suddenly I felt very small.
0:19:52 > 0:19:55Mark, Mark - don't lose the fight, don't lose the fight!
0:19:55 > 0:19:59I felt like David, trying to beat Goliath. Pull the leg, yes!
0:20:01 > 0:20:05Don't fall down, don't fall down! Oh!
0:20:05 > 0:20:08My mouth is full of dirt!
0:20:08 > 0:20:11And I've not even had breakfast yet!
0:20:11 > 0:20:14Quite a tough way to start the day.
0:20:14 > 0:20:18You know, Naveen is one of the best wrestlers of India.
0:20:18 > 0:20:21He can go on fighting some two or three hours like this. Me too(!)
0:20:21 > 0:20:23DEEPAK LAUGHS
0:20:23 > 0:20:27Later, I joined Deepak at a tournament where wrestling houses
0:20:27 > 0:20:29compete against each other.
0:20:29 > 0:20:31What's amazing about this,
0:20:31 > 0:20:34I can't compare it to any other sporting event I've ever been to,
0:20:34 > 0:20:38because I imagine that is what it would have looked like
0:20:38 > 0:20:41hundreds, if not thousands of years ago.
0:20:41 > 0:20:45Mud wrestling, unchanged. And it's a lifestyle, even more than a sport.
0:20:45 > 0:20:49And it's brilliant that that also brings some of India's best hopes
0:20:49 > 0:20:51at the Commonwealth Games.
0:20:54 > 0:20:58It's a long way from the mud-filled arena to the games next year.
0:20:58 > 0:21:02But the baton is that vital connection between these sportsmen
0:21:02 > 0:21:04and the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
0:21:05 > 0:21:07And that connection continues
0:21:07 > 0:21:10when it arrives on the next leg of the trip...
0:21:19 > 0:21:23This is how Bangladesh welcomes the baton.
0:21:23 > 0:21:25And it's great - from the music to the rolling escort all
0:21:25 > 0:21:30the way into the centre of Dhaka where we're heading now -
0:21:30 > 0:21:33we've got clear roads and I don't think that often happens here.
0:21:35 > 0:21:38The Queen's baton is getting a helping hand through the city
0:21:38 > 0:21:42streets, but with a staggering 13 million people in Dhaka,
0:21:42 > 0:21:44traffic is a big problem.
0:21:45 > 0:21:47It's a global issue,
0:21:47 > 0:21:49but in Dhaka, a group called BDCyclists
0:21:49 > 0:21:51are trying to find a local solution.
0:21:53 > 0:21:54Fed up of never knowing
0:21:54 > 0:21:57when he was going to get to the end of his journeys,
0:21:57 > 0:21:59this organiser wants to show
0:21:59 > 0:22:01car-using Bangladeshis an alternative.
0:22:01 > 0:22:05There are a lot of people who cycle in Dhaka, for their livelihood.
0:22:05 > 0:22:09But we are trying to encourage the car-owning population in Dhaka
0:22:09 > 0:22:10to take up cycling.
0:22:10 > 0:22:16We hope that it will improve the overall traffic situation here,
0:22:16 > 0:22:18it will improve the health situation here
0:22:18 > 0:22:21and also build a community around cycling.
0:22:22 > 0:22:26They used social media to recruit over 25,000 cyclists,
0:22:26 > 0:22:30a modern way of getting people back to old-fashioned transport.
0:22:30 > 0:22:32But what's it like, dodging the traffic of Dhaka?
0:22:32 > 0:22:35OK, let me stay in the front, huh?
0:22:35 > 0:22:37And don't pick up too much speed.
0:22:37 > 0:22:39I feel like a beginner again!
0:22:41 > 0:22:46One thing you have to be certain of is keeping a safe distance
0:22:46 > 0:22:49and predicting how the other guy is going to behave.
0:22:49 > 0:22:51I sense you need eyes on the back of your head to know...
0:22:51 > 0:22:54When they hit their horns, do you know what they mean?
0:22:54 > 0:22:57Get out of my way!
0:22:57 > 0:23:00It feels great to be back on a bicycle. I definitely feel at home.
0:23:00 > 0:23:03I don't know which way we're going here, but...
0:23:03 > 0:23:04HORNS HONK
0:23:09 > 0:23:13'I THOUGHT it was all going well, until I got told off for speeding.'
0:23:13 > 0:23:16Slow, slow! Mark, go slow! 'Old habits die hard.'
0:23:18 > 0:23:20There are a lot more women joining the group
0:23:20 > 0:23:22and that shows a real change in attitude.
0:23:22 > 0:23:24I guess it gives you a lot more freedom -
0:23:24 > 0:23:26you can get around the city easier?
0:23:26 > 0:23:30Yes, I feel like a bird when I am cycling.
0:23:30 > 0:23:33I feel like I am flying like this.
0:23:33 > 0:23:38Do either of you cycle to your work, or is it just with the group?
0:23:38 > 0:23:40I also go to office with my cycle,
0:23:40 > 0:23:45but I never heard anything from my female colleagues.
0:23:45 > 0:23:47The most thing I heard from my male colleagues,
0:23:47 > 0:23:52they all astound me, that, "how can you ride, you are female".
0:23:52 > 0:23:54Do you think that will change?
0:23:54 > 0:23:57Do you think people will start to think it's absolutely normal
0:23:57 > 0:24:01for men and women to cycle and also that they see it's a faster way...?
0:24:01 > 0:24:05You know, our group, males and females are cycling together,
0:24:05 > 0:24:08but in our office or other places of Bangladesh,
0:24:08 > 0:24:10maybe people are not getting...
0:24:10 > 0:24:15Taking it easily so much. But it will be normal, in future.
0:24:16 > 0:24:19In one of the world's busiest cities,
0:24:19 > 0:24:22I can see how empowering the bicycle is.
0:24:22 > 0:24:28That move from cars back onto bikes has definitely been led by students.
0:24:28 > 0:24:30In the group there, there were all ages,
0:24:30 > 0:24:32but you can see the passion and the interest
0:24:32 > 0:24:36and people saying, "Look, this is the fastest, quickest way
0:24:36 > 0:24:40"to get around," and the more people that do it, the safer it gets, as well.
0:24:40 > 0:24:43This is a story of people taking control
0:24:43 > 0:24:46and taking the initiative to make their lives better.
0:24:46 > 0:24:49I love the solidarity that these cyclists show
0:24:49 > 0:24:52and as the Queen's baton travels the Commonwealth, I get
0:24:52 > 0:24:55the feeling I'm going to find a lot more stories like this.
0:24:59 > 0:25:02And you can keep up-to-date with the baton's progress
0:25:02 > 0:25:08and the stories that Mark sends back on our website:
0:25:08 > 0:25:11The journey has only just begun, but already the baton has
0:25:11 > 0:25:15crossed borders, continents and cultural divides.
0:25:15 > 0:25:18By the time it reaches Glasgow for the games next summer,
0:25:18 > 0:25:22it will have touched many of the lives of the two billion people
0:25:22 > 0:25:26who live in the Commonwealth - a symbol of what connects them all.
0:25:51 > 0:25:53Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd