Two devotees died during the first day of the first phase of Bishwa Ijtema, began on the banks of the Turag River in Tongi after Fazr prayers on Friday.
The deceased were identified as Khoka Mila, 60, from Kazipur upazila in Sirajganj district and Mohammad Ali, 70 from Patiya upazila in Chattogram district.
With this, a total of three devotees died at the Ijtema venue, said Illias Hossain, a caretaker of the Ijtema ground.
Earlier on Thursday morning, Yakub Ali, 85, son of Hashem Ali from Kotalipara in Gopalganj, died just after arrival at the Ijtema venue.
The first phase of Bishwa Ijtema, began on the banks
of the Turag River in Tongi after Fazr prayers on Friday.
The Ijtema began with “a’mbayan” (general sermons) by Pakistani Islamic scholar Maulana Obaidul Khorshed.
Thousands of devotees from home and abroad started thronging on the bank of the Turag River to take part in the religious event to seek divine blessings of the Almighty Allah.
The three-day of the 55th Bishwa Ijtema will end on January 12. The supporters of Maulana Jubair Hassan are participating in the first phase of Bishwa Ijtema.
Additional police have been deployed in and around the Ijtema venue to ensure security of the devotees. The venue has been brought under CCTV surveillance.
Tabligh Jamaat has been organising the congregation at the venue since 1967. In 2011 Bishwa Ijtema is being held in two phases for better managment.
