Biswa Ijtema begins on Turag banks
Lakhs of devotees from home and abroad yesterday joined the first day of the first phase of Biswa Ijtema under the open sky amid chilling winter breeze on the bank of the Turag in Tongi.
The first phase, which will conclude with Akheri Munajat (final prayers) tomorrow, began with delivering religious sermons after Fazr prayers by India's noted scholar Maulana Obaidullah Khorshed.
The second phase of the largest congregation of the Muslims after Hajj will be held on January 20-22.
Around 7,000 foreigners from 87 countries including Iran, Iraq and Egypt and five lakh local devotees from 17 districts took part in the first phase, said Maulana Engr Giasuddin, a senior member of the Ijtema organising committee.
Six devotees have meanwhile died at the congregation ground in the last two days.
Of them, Babul Mia, 60, of Machhimpur in Feni died on Friday morning. The others are Hossain Ali, 65, of Cox's Bazar, Fazlul Haque, 56, of Nandail in Mymensingh, Abdus Sattar, 60, of Khejurdanga in Satkhira, Janu Fakir, 70, of Dhanbari in Tangail and Saheb Ali of Manikganj.
Resident doctor of Tongi Govt Hospital Dr Parvez said all of them died due to cardiac arrest or old age complexity.
Maulana Faruk Hossain led the Juma prayers at the Ijtema venue with lines of worshippers pouring onto the 160-acre ground, around 20km off the capital.
During the prayers, vehicular movement on Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway came to a halt for a few hours that created a long queue of vehicles. Many offered Juma prayers putting sacks and newspapers on the adjacent roads, the roof of vehicles and rooftop of nearby buildings.
Adnan Mamun, who hailed from Sreepur in Gazipur, said the Ijtema premises turned into a human sea by 12:00noon.
People from 33 districts are taking part in the first two phases this year, while those from the remaining districts will take part in two more phases next year.
Devotees from the 16 districts will attend the second phase of Ijtema on next Friday.
The three-day congregation includes delivery of sermons on fundamental issues of Tablighi Jamaat, prayers for spiritual adulation, exaltation and welfare of the Muslim Ummah and recitation from the holy Quran and Hadith.
Dowry free marriage ceremony would be held today.
A good number of uniformed and plainclothes police and members of Rab and intelligence agencies were in place at the Ijtema ground to ward off any untoward trouble.
Temporary health camps have been set up near the Tongi Fire Station to provide immediate medical assistance to the ailing devotees.
Md Rayhanul Islam, additional district magistrate of Gazipur, said 20 mobile courts have been working to keep roads and footpaths free from blocking, ensure quality food and hygienic atmosphere of different restaurants and shops in the area.