SM Mizanur Rahman :Hundreds of thousands of Muslims from home and abroad continued to converge on the bank of river Turag at Tongi of Gazipur district, some 20km off capital Dhaka as the three-day first phase of Biswa Ijtema, the world’s second largest Muslim congregation, began on Friday.The congregation began formally with ‘Ambayan’ (religious sermons) recited by Maulana Abdur Rahman of India after Fazr prayers early Friday and it will end with Akheri Munajat (final prayers) seeking spiritual wellbeing and welfare of the Muslim Ummah tomorrow (Sunday). The second phase of Ijtema is scheduled to be held from January 15-17 on the same venue. Since 2011, Bishwa Ijtema is being held in two phases. The government has stepped up security and safety measures in and around the Ijtema sites to ensure the smooth flow of devotees.As hundreds of thousands of devotees attended Juma prayers on Friday, the Ijtema venue, the bank of the river Turag and its adjacent areas virtually turned into a human sea.Thousands of Muslims were seen offering their Juma prayers on the streets blocking vehicular movement and roofs of different houses and markets.Vehicular movement on the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway came to a halt for few hours during the prayers, creating a long queue of vehicles.The devotees, their eyes wet with tears, prayed for peace universally during Juma prayers.Hafez Maulana Zubayer, the Imam of Dhaka’s Kakrail Jame Masjid led the Juma prayers at the Ijtema ground at about 1.40pm.Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haq, local lawmaker M Zahid Ahsan Rasel, acting Mayor of Gazipur City Corporation Asadur Rahman Kiron, Deputy Commissioner of Gazipur SM Alam and Police Super Harun-Ar-Rashid offered Juma prayers at the Ijtema ground.The top Islamic scholars have already started delivering sermons on Iman, Akhlak and Amal in Urdu and Arabic languages and these are being translated into Bengali by Bangladesh’s Maulana Abdul Matin. Apart from devotees from different parts of the country, people from capital Dhaka and adjoining areas thronged the Ijtema venue to attend the Juma prayers. Meanwhile, three devotees died of cardiac failure at the Ijtema venue on Thursday night. They were identified as Joynal Abedin, hailed from Rankali village in Golapganj upazila of Sylhet district, Nurul Islam of Chaklapara village under Ulipur upazila in Kurigram district and Farid Uddin of Batia village in Singra upazila of Natore district.So far, 6,312 Muslims from 93 countries are participating in the Ijtema.The devotees, both local and foreign, have already arrived at the Ijtema venue divided into different khittas (parts), sources said. More people are still coming on foot and by trains, buses and launches. A huge number of people took inter-district trains to come to the venue, while many arrived on buses, pickup-vans or rented microbuses ignoring all odds. Tight security measures have been taken in and around the Ijtema venue with several thousand members of different law-enforcement agencies, including RAB and police. Besides, thousands of volunteers are working round the clock to make sure the event runs smoothly.Besides, some 1,500 traffic police have been deployed in and around the Ijtema venue and adjacent areas to ensure smooth movement of vehicles.Several health centres have been set up at different parts of the venue along with beds and other treatment facilities with doctors doing round-the-clock-duties at each centre.Beds have been increased in Tongi hospital to serve the devotees. Besides, six medical camps have also been set up to serve the devotees. Fourteen ambulances have been kept standby to take serious patients to hospitals.Special measures have been taken for uninterrupted power supply during the three-day Ijtema.Bangladesh Railway is operating 28 special trains to carry the devotees of the two-phase Biswa Ijtema. BRTC is operating 228 buses for carrying the devotees to the Ijtema ground.Around several thousand loudspeakers have been arranged for the Ijtema to facilitate devotees hearing sermons of the religious leaders and scholars.Some 60 CCTV cameras have been installed to monitor the event and ensure safety of the devotees.Like the previous years, dowry-free weddings will be arranged at the Ijtema ground today (Saturday), the second day of the congregation. Organisers said registration is going on to enlist the names of bride and bridegrooms.
