The second phase of this year’s Biswa Ijtema starts today, four days after the first phase ended, with hundreds of thousands of devotees thronging the banks of Turag in Tongi.
The Ijtema, billed as the second largest congregation of Muslims after Hajj, is being organised in two phases since 2011 as the number of participants increased.
Organisers said participants from 16 districts were attending the second phase but foreigners were allowed to take part in both phases. Devotees from 16 districts attended the first phase. Next year, participants from the other 32 districts will be allowed to participate.
The government has arranged special train and bus services for the devotees. The districts are Dhaka, Jhenaidah, Jamalpur, Faridpur, Netrokona, Narsinghdi, Comilla, Kurigram, Rajshahi, Feni, Thakurgaon, Sunamganj, Bogra, Khulna, Chuadanga and Pirojpur.
An organiser, Md Gias Uddin, said members of Tabligh, assisted by the Gazipur City Corporation, were working round the clock to prepare the venue for the second phase. Temporary health centres have also been set up.
A five-tier security has been put in place and security forces are closely monitoring the site, said Gazipur police chief Mohammad Harunur Rashid.
The first phase of this year’s congregation started on January 8 and ended on January 10. The second phase of the 51st Ijtema will end on January 17 with the Akheri Munajat.
