Thousands of devotees, gathered at the Biswa Ijtema ground from home and abroad, are passionately waiting for the Akheri Munajat or the concluding prayers to be offered today, the last day of the first phase of the congregation.
Organisers said the Akheri Munajat would be offered sometime between 11am and 1pm with Indian Maulana Saa’d delivering a sermon followed by the prayer.
Gias Uddin, an organiser of the Biswa Ijtema, said all preparations had been made for the successful completion of the Akheri Munajat, which is expected to be attended not only by the Ijtema goers but also people from all walks of life.
A separate stage on the west side of the ground near the foreign devotees’ place was erected for this purpose, said Gias Uddin.
The Bangladesh Railway has arranged special trains from Akhaura, Comilla and Mymensingh districts for the devotees to attend the Akheri Munajat.
Besides, all the trains passing through the Tongi station would briefly stop there to drop off devotees, said Halimujjaman, a Tongi railway station official.
Shakhawat Hossain, additional superintendent of police (Traffic) in Gazipur said 40 dedicated buses would carry the devotees from Gazipur’s Bhogra Bypass to the Ijtema ground today in the morning. He further mentioned that some roads would remain closed till the Akheri Munajat for all types of vehicles except ambulances and police vans.
The stretch from Bhogra Bypass to Kuril Biswa Road and Savar’s Bypass to Abdullahpur will be shut down as per the plan.
As much as the devotees were looking forward to the Akheri Munajat, some also expressed fear about returning home amid the BNP-led countrywide blockade.
Ameer Masud, a member of Tablighi Jamaat from Panchbibi of Joypurhat district, said: “After the Akheri Munajat, we will be on the road again in the name of Almighty Allah. Though we do not know what will happen to us, the political situation cannot stop us.”
“Long-haul buses do not want to run because of the BNP’s blockade. I came here by local bus from Narsingdi this afternoon. But going back home safely is now a major concern. At least they should withdraw the blockade for the sake of Akheri Munajat,” said Abul Hossain, a business man from Narsingdi.
Najrul Islam from Sreepur of Gazipur said many people would not be able to fulfil their desire to participate in the Ijtema because of the blockade.
‘It was beyond my expectation that political agenda would hamper our religious tasks,” he added.
Yesterday afternoon, the second day of the Ijtema, 121 dowry-free marriages were held in presence of only the grooms as a tradition of the Tablighi Jamaat.
However, relatives of the newly-wed couples were present during the ceremony, which was led by Indian Maulana Joaher Hasan.
Also on the second day sermons were delivered by Indian Maulana Ismail Hossain after the Fazr prayer followed by Indian Maulana Hazrat Shawkat Ali after the Zohr prayer and Pakistani Maulana Abdul Haq in the evening.
The second phase of Ijtema will begin on January 16 and will end on January 18.
Meanwhile, a total of five devotees died due to health issues in the first two days of the Ijtema.
Abdul Momin, acting officer-in-charge of Gazipur police station, said Abdus Salam, 50 from Kapasia of Gazipur died around 8:15pm on Friday.
Besides, Kafil Uddin Mondol, 50, died from cardiac arrest while Jahangir Alam, 65, Khairul Kabir, 55, and Riaj Uddin, 52, died of old-age complications.
