Md Joynal Abedin Khan :
More than 26 lakh devotees, including women, took part in the Akheri Munajat (final prayers) wrapping up the first phase of Bishwa Ijtema on the banks of the Turag River at Tongi in the outskirts of capital Dhaka on Sunday morning.
The devotees prayed for peace, prosperity and welfare of the Muslim Ummah across the world.
Bangladeshi Senior Islamic Scholar of Kakrail mosque Hafez Mawlana Mohammad Zubaer conducted the 35-minute prayers.
Zubayer recited in Arabic for the first 14 minutes which began at 10:40am and then continued in Bangla.
The Directorate for Mass Communication and Gazipur District Information Office aired the prayers.
The devotees, including cabinet members, lawmakers, professionals and political leaders, gathered in an area of 10 square kilometres spreading over Khilkhet, Cherag Ali, Tongi BISIC industrial area and Ashulia.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina jointed the Akheri Munajat from her official residence at Ganabhaban in the city’s Sher-e-Banglanagar area while BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia from her residence ‘Feroza’ in Gulshan.
Awami League Presidium Member Advocate Sahara Khatoon, Joint General Secretary Dr Dipu Moni and Agriculture Affairs Secretary Faridunnahar Laily as well as family members and relatives of the premier joined the prayers from the Ganabhaban.
PM’s Principal Secretary Md Nojibur Rahman, Military Secretary Major General Mia Mohammad Jainul Abedin, Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim, Special Assistant Dr Abdus Sobhan Golap and officials and employees of the Prime Minister’s Office and Ganabhaban took part in the munajat from there.
Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Huq and Local lawmaker Jahid Hasan Rasel also took part in the prayers.
Meanwhile, women devotes expressed their frustration and angered with the management bodies as they had to gather on the rooftops of factories and residential buildings due to lack of special spots for thousands of female participants.
“Separate arrangements should be made for women outside the congregation venue,” said one Kamrunnahar who came from Narsingdi.
The devotees from 16 districts of the country attended the first phase of the Ijtema. The districts included Dhaka, Narayanganj, Madaripur, Gaibandha, Sherpur, Lakkhipur, Bhola, Jhalakathi, Patuakhali, Narail, Magura, Panchagarh, Nilphamari and Natore.
Some 4,473 devotees from 88 countries joined the first phase of the Ijtema. The devotees from other 16 districts of the country will participate in the second phase of Biswa Ijtema slated for January 19-21.
No vehicles have been allowed to use Gazipur intersection, Mirerbazar in Pubail and Abdullahpur in Ashulia since Sunday morning.
Bangladesh Railways arranged 19 special trains for carrying the devotees back home after the end of prayers.
More than 7,000 police personnel were on the alert in and around the congregation venue, said Gazipur Superintendent of Police Harun-Ur-Rashid.
The New Delhi-based Tablig-e-Jamaat has been organising the Ijtema since 1967. For managing the growing number of devotees coming from home and abroad, the congregation is being held in two phases since the year of 2011.
