Bangladesh's Maulana Jobair will conduct closing prayers in Biswa Ijtema

Bangladesh's Maulana Jobair will conduct the closing prayers at the first phase of Biswa Ijtema as Maulana Saad Kandhalvi of India has been barred from attending the congregation in the face of protest by a section Tabligh Jamaat followers.

Saad used to offer sermons and prayers in Urdu.

He took the helm of Biswa Ijtema, which is considered as the second largest annual congregation for the Muslims after the Hajj, following the death of Moulana Zubairul Hassan of India. 

Another Bangladeshi Maulana Abdul Matin will preach the congregation of millions of people on the bank of the River Turag before the closing prayer on Sunday, an organiser of Ijtema management committee, Gias Uddin, said.

He added the decision was taken at a meeting of Tabligh Jamaat 'elders' on Friday night. 

The final prayers will be held from 10am to 11pm on Sunday, according to Gias.

The first phase of Ijtema began on Friday in Tongi.

The second phase will begin on Jan 19 and end on Jan 21 with similar closing prayers.

Indian Islamic scholar Mohammad Ilyas Kandhalvi started a reformist movement of Tabligh Jamaat for the Muslims in 1920. The movement is aimed at propagating values of Islam and therefore, refrains from discussing politics. 

It is now the largest organisation of Sunni Muslims in the Indian subcontinent with the headquarters, referred to as the Markaz, in New Delhi. Its operations are conducted through 13-member central council, called the Nezamuddin.