The banks of river Turag in Tongi near Dhaka have once again become the place to be for hundreds of thousands of Muslims from around the country and also from abroad.
With the “Akheri Munajat” of the second phase of Bishwa Ijtema scheduled for today morning, devotees have braved the cold wave, traffic congestion, shortage of accommodation and mismanagements at the venue to attend the prayer, the biggest attraction of the congregation.
Many devotees, who seem to have learnt from last year’s mistakes, have thronged the venue as early as 24-hours before the prayer. They could be seen finding places for themselves on the roadsides, beside the main entrance, in front of shops and market buildings and even on boats on the Turag River.
Mohammad Jamal Uddin from Narayanganj have also learned from his mistake. “Last year, I started early on the day of the Akheri Munajat and reached Tongi after the munajat was over. So, this time, I have come a day before so that I do not have to miss the prayer again.”
Minhaz Uddin, 60, from Tangail has come to Tongi yesterday for attending today’s Akheri Munajat. He said he had left Tangail around 8:30am yesterday and reached Tongi in the afternoon because of the heavy Ijtema-bound traffic on the highway.
“I gathered 50 people from my area and hired a truck. After coming here, we collected some mobile beds and took position at the Kamarpara road water tank area. There is no facility here. Bread is the only food that we have managed to arrange so far for our companions. Now we are trying to arrange something for dinner,” Minhaz said.
However, the organisers are planning to hold the final prayer of this phase a little earlier than when it was held during the first phase that ended last week.
The devotees should be given enough time to go back home after the prayer, said Gias Uddin, an organising committee member.
Gias said they were hoping to hold the Akheri Munajat between 11am and 12pm today instead of 1pm from the previous phase.
Maulana Abdul Wahub from Pakistan and Maulana Islam Gordar from India delivered “boyan,” religious speech, during yesterday’s Ijtema session. They were followed by local preachers Maulana Jubayerul Hassan and Maulana Ahmad lat.
Meanwhile, two more devotees died at the Ijtema venue on Friday night and Saturday afternoon. They were Nur Mohammad, 70, from Noakhali’s Snoaimuri, and Muzibur Rahman, 60, from Dhaka’s Mirpur. Another devotee named Abdur Rahman, 60, died at the Tongi Bazar area after being run over by a bus.
Islmail Hossain, OC of the Tongi police station, confirmed the deaths.
The traffic control department of Gazipur has decided to keep vehicular movement suspended in the Tongi area for seven hours starting 5am today for the final prayer.
Shakhawat Hossain, assistant police super of Gazipur traffic, told the Dhaka Tribune that only special buses carrying the devotees would ply between Bhogra bypass and Tongi. Movement of all other vehicles would be restricted in the area until the end of the final prayer.
More dowry-free wedding
On the second day of the second phase of Ijtema yesterday, the organisers arranged a total of 134 dowry-free weddings as part of a mass arrangement on the Turag bank.
Organiser Gias Uddin said the weddings were conducted upon consent from the brides, grooms and their families.
During the first phase of the congregation last week, 125 dowry-free weddings were conducted.