First phase of Ijtema ends

The Akheri Munajat of the 54th Bishwa Ijtema was held on the banks of the River Turag at Tongi here on Saturday. The followers of Maulana Jubair Hassan began gathering at the maidan from the morning to take part in the muinajat. Maulana Jubair Hassan conducted the munajat from 10.40 to 11.06 am. He offered the munajat in Arabic and Bangla.

Following the departure of Jubair's followers from the Ijtema ground, the followers of Maulana Mohammad Saad Al Khanhalvi will take part in the Bishwa Ijtema on Sunday and Monday and hold their Akheri Munajat on the last day.

The Bishwa Ijtema, one of the largest Muslim congregations in the world, began on the banks of the Turag River on Friday with the "Aambayan",  general sermons by the Pakistani Islamic scholar Maulana Ziaul Haq after Fajr prayers. People from capital city Dhaka made their way to the Tablig maidan to participate in the Akheri munajat.

From different parts of the city, Gazipur and other adjacent areas, the faithful, with their belongings,  started arriving at the maidan from the morning for the prayers. The congregation covered a four-kilometer area.Maulana Jubair Hassan and his followers left the maidan at the conclusion of the munajat.

Gazipur Metropolitan Police Commissioner W M Berlalur Rahman said that he had instructed the followers of Maulana Jubair to leave the maiden immediately after the munajat.The followers of Maulana Saad will enter the field at 7 this morning .

Meanwhile, seven devotees died in the congregation during the 'aambayan'.Tablig leaders informed the media that in 2020 the congregation will be held in two phases. The first phase will be held from 10 January to 12 January, while the second phase will begin on 17 January and continue for three days.

Allama Shafi, the chief of the Hefazat-e-Islam, left the maidan at noon. Gazipur City Corporation Mayor Md Jahangir Alam told reporters that Shafi had arrived at the maidan by helicopter and left at 2.00 pm in similar manner.Five thousand physicians were deployed at the maidan to provide medicare facilities to devotees.

   
The first phase of the Bishwa Ijtema was scheduled to be held from January 11 to 13 while the second one was to last from January 18 to 20 this year. But they were postponed due to the December 30 general election in the country.

Subsequently it was decided that the Bishwa Ijtema would be held at one go instead of in two phases this year.Tablig Jamaat has been organizing the Ijtema at the venue since 1967.The Ijtema was held in two phases from 2011 to 2017 to ease accommodation and transport for devotees.

---Mahbubul Alam, Gazipur