Hundreds of thousands of Muslim devotees from around the world yesterday said Jumma prayer on the bank of Turag river on the first day of a three-day Biswa Ijtema. The largest religious congregations after the Hajj in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the Biswa Ijtema began its first phase of programme immediately after Fazr prayer with sermon by Islamic scholars.
Besides those who arrived from abroad and fur-flung areas of the country, devotees from the neighbourhoods thronged the open spaces and roads surrounding the main Ijtema venue to join the Jumma prayer, which was led by Imam Mawlana Abdul Wahab of Pakistan. Liberation war affairs minister AKM Mozammel Haque, Justice Tufazzal Hossain, law maker Zahid Ahsan Rassel and Mayor of Gazipur city corporation professor M.A.Mannan participated in the Jumma prayer at Ijtema ground.
Pakistani Islamic scholar Mawalna Ismail Hossain delivered his sermon till 8.30 am in Urdu. Then Bangladeshi Islamic scholar Mawlan Mohammed Hossain spoke until Juma prayer. After the Asr prayer, Indian scholar Mawlan Saad gave his sermon.
of of the Muslim world at the bank of river Turag. The first phase of Biswa Ijtema began after Fazr prayers on Friday with the ‘Aam Boyan (religious sermon) by Islamic scholars. After Fazre prayer ,
However a large number of peoples from the city and its adjacent areas joined the biggest Jumma prayers on the sprawling Ijtema ground on friday . Organised by Biswa Tablig Jamaat, the Ijtemais scheduled to end its first phase with Akheri Munajat on Sunday, seeking spiritual blessings for welfare of the Muslim Ummah. The second phase will start on January 31 and end on February 2 with offering akheri Munajat. Devotees from 32 districts are joining the first phase of Ijtema while those from the remaining 32 districts will join the concluding phase.
This year, organisers are expecting a large number of participants from as many as 100 countries of Asia, Europe, the Middle East and America. Sources said at least 10,000 foreign devotees have already reached Ijtema ground till Friday from Qatar, Australia, Cambodia, Denmark, Finland, Brunei, Germany, The United Arab Emirates, Madagascar, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, Japan, Iran, Russia, Egypt, Oman, Canada, Mozambique, Panama, South Africa, Tanzania, Trinidad, The USA, Belgium, Cameroon, Fiji, Indonesia, France, Mayanmar, Italy, Kenya, Malaysia, The Philippines, Norway, New Zealand,, Singapore, Sweden, Sri Lanka, Gambia, Turkey, The UK, Thailand, India, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.Law enforcers took a five-tier of security measures to ensure peaceful holding of Ijtema. Gazipur police superintendent Abdul Baten said that 12,000 security personnel drawn from different law enforcement and intelligence agencies are discharging their duties in the Ijtema area. They are monitoring security of devotees through observation towers and close-circuit and video cameras set up at different points in the area. Ismail Hossain, a police officer of Tongi model police station, said three youths were arrested from Ijtema ground for snatching different items from devotees. They have been sentenced to 10 days of imprisonment by a mobile court.
Residential medical officer of Tongi government hospital Dr. Mahbubur Rahman Chowdhury said three people died at Ijtema venue early on Friday. Bangladesh railway and Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) have pressed into a special train and bus services for devotees.
Meanwhile, President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday greeted the Muslims both at home and abroad on the occasion of the Biswa Ijtema.
In separate messages the President and the Prime Minister wished every success of the Ijtema. President Abdul Hamid in his message said, the ideology of Islam, a religion of peace and wellbeing, always directed the entire humanity towards goodness and virtue. “The Biswa Ijtema, being arranged peacefully in Bangladesh for years, has brightened the image of the country in the Muslim world,” he said. The Prime Minister, in her message, said the Biswa Ijtema has a very important role in spreading and promoting the essence of Islam. She hoped that the guests of the Biswa Ijtema would carry the message of religious tolerance, secular spirit and hospitality of the people of Bangladesh to their respective countries. The religious congregation will keep a pioneering role in establishing world peace, the Prime Minister said adding that the Biswa Ijtema would help strengthen the unity, solidarity and fraternity of Muslim Ummah and all people across the world.
Courtesy of The Independent
