Prayers in Bangla wrap up first phase of Bishwa Ijtema

Amid chilling cold spells and fog, devotees joined Akheri Munajat or final prayers wrapping up the first phase of Bishwa Ijtema on the Turag banks in Tongi on Sunday.

Gazipur CorrespondentAbul Hossain, bdnews24.com
Published : 14 Jan 2018, 05:09 AM
Updated : 14 Jan 2018, 06:40 AM

Bangladeshi cleric Maulana Abdul Matin started the proceedings on Sunday morning. Maulana Zubayer Hasan, imam of Dhaka’s Kakrail Mosque and Tabligh Jamaat council member, started reciting the 35-minute final prayers at 10:40am.

This year’s final prayers were recited in Bangla for the first time. Zubayer recited in Arabic for the first 14 minutes and then continued in Bangla.

Saad Kandhalvi, who had been leading the sermons for ijtema for the last few years, stayed away from the event following protests by a faction of the Tabligh Jamaat.

He recited the sermons in Arabic and Urdu.

The devotees prayed for the welfare of people across the world in the prayers. The Directorate for Mass Communication and Gazipur District Information Office aired the prayers.

The 53rd Bishwa Ijtema, the biggest congregation of Muslims after hajj, began on Friday with the participation of thousands of Muslims who came from 17 districts, including Dhaka.

After a four-day break, the second phase of the event will begin on Jan 19. The Tabligh Jamaat’s annual event will end on Jan 21.

No vehicles have been allowed to use Gazipur intersection, Mirerbazar in Pubail and Abdullahpur in Ashulia since Sunday morning.

Similar scenes were found on the Station Road and the Kaliganj-Tongi Highway. Commuters used alternative routes to travel between Dhaka and Gazipur.

About 2.5 million devotees gathered in an area of 10 square kilometres spreading over Khilkhet, Cherag Ali, BISIC industrial area and Ashulia.

Women gathered on the rooftops of factories and residential buildings to take part in the prayers.

“Separate arrangements should be made to seat women outside the congregation venue,” said one Kamrunnahar who came from Narsingdi.

Educational institutions and factories located in the zone remained closed for the day.

Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Huq took part in the prayers.

Bangladesh Railways arranged 19 special trains for carrying the devotees back home after the end of prayers.

More than 7,000 police personnel were on the alert in and around the congregation venue, said Gazipur Superintendent of Police Harun-Ur-Rashid.