e-News® | The NEWS Company…GAZIPUR, Jan 16, 2015 : The three-day second phase of Biswa Ijtema, the world congregation of the Muslims, began at Tongi on the outskirts of the capital today amid tight security. Organized by Tablig Jamaat, the Ijtema formally began with “ambayan” (general sermon) after Fazr prayers at dawn with participation of hundreds of thousands of local and foreign devotees. Maunala M Ismail Hossain of India delivered the ambayan.

Millions of devotees took part in the Jumma prayers on the Ijtema ground. Kakrail Mosque Khatib Maulana Jubayer Hassan led the Jumma prayers. The sermons delivered in the Itjema in Urdu, Arabic, French and other languages are being translated into Bangla and different other languages. The second phase of the Ijtema will end through “Akheri Munajat” on Sunday. The first phase of the Ijtema started on January 9 and ended on January 11.

Gazipur district administration and other relevant authorities have taken all preparations for the Ijtema. Electricity and water supply and sanitation facilities have been ensured for the devotees. The 160-acre ijtema ground on the eastern bank of the Turag river is getting filled up devotees. Devotees are arriving the venue by trains, buses, trucks, private cars and engine boats. The Ijtema is being held in two phases since 2011 because of the constraint of area.

Along with other facilities, strict security measures have been taken in the Ijtema venue for the devotees from home and abroad. Gazipur Police Super M. Harun-ur-Rashid said security has been strengthen more for the second phase of the Ijtema compared to the first phase. He said additional forces have been deployed to ensure security of the devotees, he added. Gazipur district administration is conducting 10 mobile courts in and around the Ijtema venue.

In the second phase of the ijtema, devotees are taking part from the districts of Narayanganj, Dhaka, Coz’s Bazar, Manikganj, Pirojpur, Patuakhali, Tangail, Jamalpur, Barisal, Netrokona, Comilla, Meherpur, Jhenaidah, Mymensingh, Laxmipur, Brahmanbaria, Kurigram, Noakhali, Nilphamari, Thakurgaon, Panchagar, Chapainawabganj, Bogra, Pabna, Munshiganj, Madaripur, Gopalganj, Satkhira, Magura, Khulna, Sunamganj, Moulavibazar and Kushtia.

After coming to join the second phase of Ijtema, four devotees died till Friday morning. Of them, three have been identified as M Billah Hossain, 30, of Patuakhali, A Abdul Quddus, 60, of Laxmipur and Abdur Rahman, 65, of Bogra. The identity of the remaining one could not be known.