Devotees from across the coun
try head for the Biswa Ijtema ground in Tongi yesterday to join the second largest Muslim congregation in the world.
Biswa Ijtema, the second largest Muslim congregation after the holy Hajj, is set to begin today on the bank of the Turag on the capital’s outskirts Tongi.
The 48th Ijtema will be in two phases to accommodate huge number of devotees from home and abroad on the 160-acre Ijtema ground.
The congregation will start after Fazr prayers. Several million devotees including a large number from the capital and its adjoining areas are expected to join Juma prayers today.
Breaking its decades-old tradition, this year for the third time the rituals will be performed in two phases (January 11-13 and 18-20) to enable smooth management and security checks for the mammoth Islamic congregation.
Organised by Tabligh Jamaat, the three-day congregation will include sermon by Islamic scholars and prayers, seeking spiritual wellbeing and welfare of the Muslim Ummah.
Md Nurul Islam, deputy commissioner of Gazipur, said they have taken an all-out security measures and ensured water supply and sanitation facilities.
A multi-layer security system by 12,000 uniform and plainclothes members of police, Rab and intelligence agencies will be in place at the Ijtema ground to see off any trouble, he added.
The number of toilets has been increased from 3,000 last year. The Army has built eight pontoon bridges on the adjoining water bodies for smooth movement of the devotees.
Thousands of volunteers will serve to the devotees round the clock. Uninterrupted power supply will be maintained during the Ijtema.
Standby airport transport service has been arranged for an expected 30,000 foreign devotees from nearly 103 countries including China, the USA, India, Pakistan, Malaysia, Japan, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the UK.
The first phase of the congregation will conclude with Akheri Munajat (final prayers) on Sunday.
Source: The Daily Star
