The five-day Jor Ijtema, a preparatory gathering of Bishwa Ijtema, begins today at the bank of River Turag at Tongi in Gazipur.
Thousands of devotees from home and abroad are now gathering at the east side of the Turag.
Mawlana Gias Uddin, a senior devotee said the number of pilgrims would be higher for the next Bishwa Ijtema. “We are gathered here to offer our services for the main congregation. Devotees are coming from all corners of the country and the world. Arranging the Bishwa Ijtema takes a lot of voluntary work.”
He, expressed discontent over the fact that Muslims from five countries would not be able to attend the Bishwa Ijtema because of a government ban on visas for nationals of those countries due to the Ebola crisis.
Meanwhile, shop owners of the area alleged that three powerful groups in Gazipur have been extorting money from them in the name of Ijtema.
Shops at Abdullahpur, Mill Gate and Kamarpara are forced to pay from Tk2000 to Tk10,000 to those politically affiliated groups.
The first phase of Bishwa Ijtema 2015 is scheduled to begin on January 9.
