Staff Reporter :
The first phase of the Biswa Ijtema, the second biggest world congregation of Muslims, began on the bank of the River Turag at Tongi in Gazipur district on Friday.
The Ijtema began with the deliberation of ‘Aam Bayan’ (general sermons) by noted scholar Maulana Obaidul Khorshed after
Fazr (dawn) prayers. The Tabligh Jamaat like the past is organising the Ijtema.
Meanwhile, five devotees died of old age complications and due to illness on Biswa Ijtema ground.
The deceased were identified as Janu Fakir, 70, of Tangail district, Saheb Ali, 35, of Manikganj, Fazlul Haque, 56, of village Marua under Nandail upazila in Mymensingh, Md Hossain Ali, 65, of Cox’s Bazar, and Abdus Sattar, 60, of Satkhira Sadar.
Thousands of local and foreign devotees have arrived at the venue defying cold weather, transport crisis and other difficulties.
Local devotees from the districts of Gazipur, Manikganj, Mymensingh, Tangail, Munshiganj, Gopalganj, Kishoreganj, Rangpur, Syedpur, Rajbari, Shariatpur, Dinajpur, Joypurhat, Lalmonirhat, Bandarban, Rangamati, Khagrachhari, Chandpur, B’baria, Noakhali, Habiganj, Moulvibazar, Barisal, Naogaon, Pabna, Kustia, Chapainawabganj, Meherpur, Satkhira, Jessore and Bagerhat are taking part in the first phase congregation. There were flocks of devotees during the Jumma prayers in the nearby mosques and the open spaces.
Md Shamsul Islam, who came from Kishoreganj, told The New Nation that he had been taking part in the first phase of Biswa Ijtema every year.
“It was my great opportunity to attend the Jumma prayers, as thousands of Muslims from home and abroad participated in the prayers. I have learnt from the Ijtema to surrender myself to the Will of Almighty Allah. The Ijtema has given me a chance to correct myself,” Shamsul Islam said.
Hasan Ali Chowdhury, who came from Meherpur, said he along with his father has come to Dhaka a day before of beginning first phase of Ijtema. They were committed to perform the Jumma prayers on the Ijtema ground.
Giasuddin, one of the managers of the ground, told this correspondent that the Ijtema had a good atmosphere and faced no untoward incident in and around the congregation,” he said.
He also condoled the death of five devotees and prayed for the salvation of the departed souls.
The Ijtema ends on Sunday with the Akheri Munajat (the farewell prayer).
Gazipur Police Superintendent Harun Ur Rashid confirmed that the Ijtema ground and its adjacent areas had been brought under closed-circuit television surveillance for the first time.
Parvez Alam, residential doctor at the state-run Tongi Hospital, said additional number of beds had been arranged to meet the emergency.
Makeshift medical camps have been set up at six spots, including Monnu Gate, Atlas Gate, Bata Factory gate and Tongi Hospital ground. Fourteen ambulances will remain standby. Dhaka Metropolitan Police, Bangladesh Railway, and Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation are offering separate and special services to the devotees during the Ijtema.
The first phase of the Biswa Ijtema, the second biggest world congregation of Muslims, began on the bank of the River Turag at Tongi in Gazipur district on Friday.
The Ijtema began with the deliberation of ‘Aam Bayan’ (general sermons) by noted scholar Maulana Obaidul Khorshed after
Fazr (dawn) prayers. The Tabligh Jamaat like the past is organising the Ijtema.
Meanwhile, five devotees died of old age complications and due to illness on Biswa Ijtema ground.
The deceased were identified as Janu Fakir, 70, of Tangail district, Saheb Ali, 35, of Manikganj, Fazlul Haque, 56, of village Marua under Nandail upazila in Mymensingh, Md Hossain Ali, 65, of Cox’s Bazar, and Abdus Sattar, 60, of Satkhira Sadar.
Thousands of local and foreign devotees have arrived at the venue defying cold weather, transport crisis and other difficulties.
Local devotees from the districts of Gazipur, Manikganj, Mymensingh, Tangail, Munshiganj, Gopalganj, Kishoreganj, Rangpur, Syedpur, Rajbari, Shariatpur, Dinajpur, Joypurhat, Lalmonirhat, Bandarban, Rangamati, Khagrachhari, Chandpur, B’baria, Noakhali, Habiganj, Moulvibazar, Barisal, Naogaon, Pabna, Kustia, Chapainawabganj, Meherpur, Satkhira, Jessore and Bagerhat are taking part in the first phase congregation. There were flocks of devotees during the Jumma prayers in the nearby mosques and the open spaces.
Md Shamsul Islam, who came from Kishoreganj, told The New Nation that he had been taking part in the first phase of Biswa Ijtema every year.
“It was my great opportunity to attend the Jumma prayers, as thousands of Muslims from home and abroad participated in the prayers. I have learnt from the Ijtema to surrender myself to the Will of Almighty Allah. The Ijtema has given me a chance to correct myself,” Shamsul Islam said.
Hasan Ali Chowdhury, who came from Meherpur, said he along with his father has come to Dhaka a day before of beginning first phase of Ijtema. They were committed to perform the Jumma prayers on the Ijtema ground.
Giasuddin, one of the managers of the ground, told this correspondent that the Ijtema had a good atmosphere and faced no untoward incident in and around the congregation,” he said.
He also condoled the death of five devotees and prayed for the salvation of the departed souls.
The Ijtema ends on Sunday with the Akheri Munajat (the farewell prayer).
Gazipur Police Superintendent Harun Ur Rashid confirmed that the Ijtema ground and its adjacent areas had been brought under closed-circuit television surveillance for the first time.
Parvez Alam, residential doctor at the state-run Tongi Hospital, said additional number of beds had been arranged to meet the emergency.
Makeshift medical camps have been set up at six spots, including Monnu Gate, Atlas Gate, Bata Factory gate and Tongi Hospital ground. Fourteen ambulances will remain standby. Dhaka Metropolitan Police, Bangladesh Railway, and Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation are offering separate and special services to the devotees during the Ijtema.
