First phase of Bishwa Ijtema ends with final prayer for peace

The first phase of the 55th Bishwa Ijtema has drawn to a close with prayers for peace in life, the hereafter and the welfare of the nation.

Gazipur Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 12 Jan 2020, 06:18 AM
Updated : 12 Jan 2020, 06:37 AM

Hundreds of thousands of Muslim devotees braved a cold spell to take part in the final prayers or Akheri Munajat on the banks of the Turag River in Gazipur's Tongi on Sunday.

Maulana Zubair Ahmed, the imam of Dhaka's Kakrail Mosque, the headquarters of Tabligh Jamaat’s Bangladesh chapter, conducted the closing prayers.

The second phase of the Ijtema -- the second largest congregation of Muslims after the hajj -- will be held from Jan 17 to 19. It is allotted to followers of Delhi’s Moulana Mohammed Saad Kandhalvi, grandson of the Tabligh founder.

People from all corners of the country started streaming into Tongi since early Sunday to join the Akheri Munajat.

Many made the journey to the venue on foot as a large part of Dhaka Mymensingh Highway was closed to traffic.

Pakistani cleric Maulana Ziaul Haque delivered a sermon after the Fazr prayers followed by a special oration by India's Moulana Ibrahim Dewla prior to the Akheri Munajar. Maulana Zubair then began the final prayer in Bangla and Urdu at 11 am before a packed venue in Tongi.

As Akheri Munajat began on the ground, people were seen sitting in nearby alleys, on rooftops of homes and factories along the Dhaka-Mymnsingh Highway.

Sections of the Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway stretching from the airport to Joydebpur junction,  Mirer Bazar, Gazipur to Tongi on the Dhaka-Sylhet Highway and from Abdullahpur to Bypass Road on the Abdullahpur-Ashulia Road was made off limits to vehicles until the end of the Akheri Munajat ends, said Gazipur Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Thowai Aung Pru Marma.

Bangladesh Railway introduced special train service for Bishaw Ijtema attendees.

All other trains will make a five-minute stopover at the Tongi Railway Junction during the congregation.

The organisers also determined the schedule for the Bishaw Ijtema in 2021 on Saturday and announced it at the end of the Akheri Munajat on Sunday, said Md Mejbahuddin, a senior member of the organising committee.

The first phase of the 56th Bishaw Ijtema will be held from Jan 8 to 10  in 2021 with the second phase taking place from Jan 15 to 17.

A 5-day-long Jor Ijtema will be held from Nov 27 prior to the 2021 congregation.