Braving the chilly, windy weather, thousands of Muslims gathered on bank of Turag River in Tongi yesterday to attend the first phase of 49th Bishwa Ijtema, which formally began Friday after Fajr prayers by seeking the blessings from Allah for the success of the assembly.
Biswa Ijtema comes with a motive to inculcate iman (faith in Allah), amal (practice) and the importance of Tablighi Jamaat. The first day of the congregation was glorified further by the participation of tens of thousands of devotees from Dhaka and others parts of the nation in its Jumah (Friday) prayers.
Islamic scholar Moulana Ismail Batla from Pakistan gave the introductory sermon, which was translated in Bangla by Mahbubur Rahman, while Moulana Jubair Hossain from Bangladesh led the Jumah prayers.
People were also seen attending the Jumah prayers from buses, boats, rooftops and from the main roads.
“I have came to Ijtema ground by travelling around seven kilometer by foot as this is the biggest Jumah prayer to be held in the country,” says Yeakub Ali, a garment factory worker.
Noted Islamic Scholar Maulana Omar Ali from Bangladesh, Maulana Jubayerul Hassan and Maulana Sadh from India delivered their sermons respectively after the Jumah, Asar and Magrib paryers.
Meanwhile, three people have died on the first day of Ijtema. They deceased are Omar Ali, 48, from Keraniganj, and Abdul Majid Pramanik, 65, from Shirajganj, and a bus driver Shahjalal, 26, hailing from Feni.
“Omar Ali and Abdul Majid Pramanik died from old age complications, while Shahjalal died from diarrhea,” confirmed Mahbubur Rahman Chowdhury, a residential doctor at the Tongi Health Complex.
He further added more than 180 devotees received medical assistance on the first day of the Ijtema, while 14 of them were admitted to the Tongi Government Hospital.
Meanwhile, law enforcers were kept on high alert in and around the Ijtema ground to ensure foolproof security. Three helicopter of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) were seen patrolling the venue from air, while 14-watch tower in different points kept a close watch on the ground.
On the first day, police arrested 11 people for pick-pocketing and three of them were sentenced to a 10-day imprisonment by a mobile court, Ismail Hossain, officer-in-charge of Tongi police station, told the Dhaka Tribune.
Ijtema organisers said around 10,000 foreign nationals joined the Jumah prayer on the first day and expressed hope that the number will go above 30,000 this year. Meanwhile, Bangladesh citizens from 32 districts attended in the first phase of Ijtema, while devotees from 33 other districts will attend in the second phase.
Speaking to the Dhaka Tribune, Mahfuzur Rahman, a Tablighi Jamaat organiser, said all the proceedings are going smoothly and peacefully this year. For the convenience of the participants, the Ijtema ground has been divided into 40 Khitta (section) for the first phase and 38 for the second phase.
The main podium of the event has been set on the western corner of the ground, where renowned Islamic scholars from India, Pakistan, Iran and other countries would deliver their sermons.
