The first phase of Biswa Ijtema, the second largest Muslim congregation after Hajj, has ended with Akheri Munajat seeking divine blessings of the Almighty Allah.
The Akheri Munajat (final prayer) ended 11:45am on Sunday.
Indian Maulana Saa’d conducted the prayers which began at 11:17am.
Thousands of Muslims from home and abroad gathered at the Biswa Ijtema grounds in Tongi of Gazipur to join in the Akheri Munajat.
Gias Uddin, an organiser of the Biswa Ijtema, said a separate stage on the west side of the ground near the foreign devotees’ place was erected for this purpose.
The Bangladesh Railway has arranged special trains from Akhaura, Comilla and Mymensingh districts for the devotees to attend the Akheri Munajat.
Shakhawat Hossain, additional superintendent of police (Traffic) in Gazipur said 40 dedicated buses have been allocated for carrying the devotees from Gazipur’s Bhogra Bypass to the Ijtema ground 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.
A total of 121 dowry-free marriages were held in presence of only the grooms as a tradition of the Tablighi Jamaat on the second day of the Ijtema on Saturday.
The second phase of Ijtema will begin on January 16 and will end on January 18.
Meanwhile, a total of eight devotees died due to health issues in the first two days of the Ijtema.
