The first phase of Biswa Ijtema, the second largest Muslim congregation after Hajj, has ended with Akheri Munajat seeking world peace, stability and divine blessings for humankind.
The Akheri Munajat (final prayer) ended around 11:33am on Sunday. Indian Maulana Saa’d conducted the prayers.
Thousands of Muslims from home and abroad gathered at the Biswa Ijtema grounds in Tongi of Gazipur to join in the Akheri Munajat.
The second phase of Ijtema, to be attended by devotees from 16 other districts, would be held on January 15-17. Muslims from 32 other districts would be able to join the congregation next year.
Meanwhile, sermons for the second day started after Fazr prayers by Maulana Ismail Hossain Godra of India. Others who gave sermons were Maulana Mohammad Jamshed, Maulana Mohammad Yousuf and Hazrat Maulana Khorshed of India. Their sermons were also available in several languages for the participants.
A huge number of devotees gathered at the Ijtema venue yesterday by bus, train and other vehicles, organisers said, adding that the devotees would continue to come until this morning. As the Ijtema from this year would be held in four phases, the organisers said the gathering would not be huge like before.
The Tabligh Jamaat leaders this year did not give permission to broadcast the Akheri Munajat live and also barred taking photographs.
Like every year, a special chamber has been set up beside the main stage where the interested devotees can write their names to be with the Tabligh Jamaat for a certain time. After their names are registered, they would be sent to different areas, as per decision of the top Tabligh leader at Kakrail Mosque.
According to the organisers, near about 6,000 devotees would get engaged with Tabligh this year from the Ijtema venue to invite people to Islam across the country.
On the other hand, two more devotees died during the Ijtema yesterday taking the toll to five. Abul Kalam Azad, 60, of Noakhali and Ala Uddin, 65, of Sylhet died of old-age complications.
The number of patients taking treatment at the medical camps has risen. According to the civil surgeon office sources, nearly 5,000 devotees got treatment from the camps. Most of them had been suffering from old-age problems.
In the meantime, authorities have suspended movement of all kinds of vehicles on the roads around the Ijtema ground from this morning. However, some special BRTC buses and special trains would operate for the smooth movement of the devotees.
For security reasons, the garment factories in Tongi and Gazipur areas were declared shut for today.
