Foreign devotees to get on-arrival visas for 45 days

The government will issue on- arrival visas for 45 days to the foreign devotees coming to Bangladesh to attend Bishwa Ijtema, the second largest congregation of the Muslim Ummah after Hajj.
The decision was taken at a meeting at the home ministry on Wednesday with Home Adviser MA Matin in the chair.
The three-day Ijtema begins at Tongi on January 30.
Guests from 72 countries across the globe will attend this year's Ijtema. Stringent security measures will be taken to maintain in and outside the Ijtema, the meeting decided.
The home adviser said massive preparation had been taken to hold the Ijtema. “On-arrival visa for 45 days will be issued at the airport and for that purpose a special desk has been set up at the airport.”
Some 10,00 security personnel, comprising police, Rab and APBN will be deployed while CCTVs will be installed at the venue. Helicopters will also be there to have a look on the devotees.
He said special arrangement will be taken to control traffic movement on the day of 'Akheri Munajat'.
A sub-committee, headed by the Dhaka divisional commissioner, has been formed and a control room with nine sub-centres will be set up soon, said the home adviser.
On the possibility of security threat, he said, “There is no such possibility. Still, police will set up a security cordon round the venue of Ijtema.”
He said militants are being arrested and thus there is no threat from the group. “We do not claim militants have been rooted out. If police remain active the country will be free from it,” he added.