The 160-acre land on the bank of the Turag river in the outskirts of the capital is already full with thousands of devotees as the second phase of Biswa Ijtema began on Friday.
The second phase of the congregation began after the Fajr prayer with the sermons of Moulana Jamshed of India. Moulana Jobayer, head-imam of Kakrail mosque, will lead the Juma prayer today.
In addition, Moulana Hossain of Bangladesh will give sermons after the Juma paryer, Moulana Jobaerul Hasan of India will deliver sermons after Asr prayer, while Moulana Saad of India after Maghrib prayer. Police, Rapid Action Battalion and members of intelligence agencies in uniform and plainclothes have set up a multi-layered security system to avoid any untoward incident during the Ijtema, which is the second largest congregation of Muslims after the Hajj.
This is the fourth year that the Ijtema is being held in two phases on the banks of Turag, around 20km from the capital, to enable smooth management and security checks. The second phase will conclude on Sunday with the final supplication – Akheri Munajat. The first phase of the Ijtema was held from January 24 to 26.
The devotees who reached the Ijtema grounds on Thursday morning did not get any space under the main tent. They had set up arrangements of their own.
In the second phase, devotees joined the Ijtema from 33 districts of the country, especially from the southern region.
Abdul Baten, police super of Gazipur, told the Dhaka Tribune that no foreigner would join the second phase of the Ijtema, but some foreigners were still staying there and they would leave the area shortly.
Abul Kalam Azad, an organiser, said Maulana Abdul Wahab of Pakistan had started giving sermons after Maghrib prayers.
The first phase was participated by devotees from 32 districts of the country along with around 25,000 foreigners from 120 countries, including Pakistan, India, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Indonesia and Palestine.
Tabligh Jamaat has been organising the annual congregation. The Ijtema features delivery of sermons on fundamental matters of Tabligh, prayers for spiritual adulation, exaltation and welfare of the Muslim Ummah, and recitation from the holy Quran and Hadith.
