Like the first phase, no dowry-free marriage took place at the Biswa Ijtema venue as the second phase of the congregation is to end today after Akheri Munajat.
Md Gias Uddin, a member of the Ijtema organising committee, said such marriages are not appreciated by many as they think these are low-key events.
“Only devotees are present at the Ijtema venue when dowry-free marriages take place there in the absence of brides. This means not even many relatives of both sides get to know about the weddings. This is why we have asked families to arrange marriages in their respective localities instead of coming here,” he explained.
Dowry-free marriages had been one of the key attractions of Ijtema in the past. Such weddings would take place on the second day of the congregation.
Meanwhile, two more devotees, including a Malaysian national, died at the Ijtema venue till yesterday morning, taking the total death toll in both phases to 12.
The Malaysian national, Shahidan Ibrahim, 48, was taken to Tongi Government Hospital after he fell sick on Friday morning.
For better treatment, he was being taken to Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital in the capital but he died on the way.
His namaz-e-janaza was held at the Ijtema venue.
Police said Ibrahim’s body would be sent to the Malaysian embassy in Dhaka and the embassy would send it to Malaysia.
The other person who died was Abul Kashem.
The 65-year-old, who hailed from Jamalpur Sadar upazila’s Kacharipara, died of age-related illness on Friday evening.
In the first phase of Ijtema, nine devotees, including a foreign national, died.
Devotees from 16 districts joined the second phase while organisers estimate that some 2-2.5 million people would be present during the Akheri Munajat.
Akheri Munajat will be held between 10am and 11:30am, said organisers.
Maulana Saad Ahmed, who is from Delhi, is expected to conduct Akheri Munajat.
Traffic movement has been prohibited in and around Ijtema venue for Akheri Munajat since early today. The restriction will be in force till evening.
