The first phase of Bishwa Ijtema ends today with the Akheri Munajat (final prayer) and seeking divine blessings of the Almighty Allah.
The prayer would be held sometime between 12:30pm and 1pm today.
Noted Islamic Scholar Maulana Jubayerul Hassan from Delhi will conduct the prayers.
The president, prime minister, leader of the opposition, ministers, lawmakers, political leaders and foreign diplomats of Muslim countries are expected to join the final prayer.
On the second day, yesterday, of the congregation, a large number of devotees from home and abroad attended the prayer on the 160-acre land on the banks of the river Turag braving biting cold.
The yesterday’s religious function started after Fazr prayer with the sermon by Pakistani cleric Maulana Abdul Wahub and Maulana Jamshed.
After Asr prayer, Maulana Jubayerul Hassan from Delhi delivered sermon followed by his compatriot Ahmad Luv after Magrib prayer.
Like every year, the organisers arranged dowry-free mass weddings on the venue during the first phase of Ijtema.
It was learnt that there were restrictions on women’s participation in the Ijtema.
Hundreds of women from across the country rented houses adjacent to the Ijtema ground to listen to sermons.
The scenario of Ijtema was quite different on the second day, with people cultivating a sharing attitude with each other, from the use of washroom to taking food in the makeshift hotels.
The devotees only had a single sentence to utter – no problem here at all. They said they had come here only for prayers.
However, on the second day of Ijtema, three more devotees including a Yemeni national Ahmed Abdullah, 70, died at the venue because of cold and old-age complications.
The other two were Shamsuddin, 60, of Mymensingh, and Zihad Ali, 55, of Kustia.
Gazipur Civil Surgeon Shah Alam Sharif confirmed the deaths.
The number of patients suffering from cold-related diseases increased at the medical camps and hospital on the second day of Ijtema.
At least 284 devotees received treatment from the 36 medical camps and Tongi Hospital.
“Law enforcers have so far rounded up more than 20 people on charges of pickpocketing, mobile phone thefts and other criminal activities on the venue,” Ismail Hossain, officer-in-charge of Tongi police station told the Dhaka Tribune.
The mobile court also fined 12 restaurants Tk28,500 for selling sub-standard food, said Mosaddek Hossain Mehedi, executive magistrate of mobile
court.
A special bus service between Shahjalal International Airport and Tongi has been introduced to carry foreign devotees to the venue. Gazipur traffic authorities have taken special measures today to control traffic.
Shakawat Hossain, assistant police super, told the Dhaka Tribune traffic movement would remain suspended in the surrounding area of the congregation till the end of final prayer while the devotees would be able to converge on the venue by a special bus service on the day.
The rush of devotees towards the Ijtema ground yesterday caused a long tailback on most of the roads in and around Tongi.
Bishwa Ijtema, the second largest congregation of the Muslims after Hajj, started Friday with the participation of lakhs of devotees from home and abroad.
Around 8,000 devotees from 116 countries including Pakistan, India, Saudi Arabia, Brunei, Bahrain and the USA have attended the congregation.
Abdule Baten, Gazipur police super, said they took all necessary steps to hold peacefully the final prayer of the first phase of Ijtema.
