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.
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.
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.
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.
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.