Tongi, Bangladesh (BBN)-The three-day World Congregation of Muslims, generally known as Biswa Ijtema, ended on Sunday with millions of devotees from home and abroad taking part in the concluding prayer (akheri munajat).
Mawlana Muhammad Saad of Tablig-e-Jamaat, India led the munajat at the ijtema, the second largest congregation of Muslims in the world after the Hajj, on the bank of Turag just outside Dhaka, Bangladesh seeking global peace, unity and welfare of the Muslim Ummah along with salvation in the world hereafter.
The munajat started around 11:03am (local time) and ended at 11:33am (local time). Maulana Saad, in Urdu and Arabic, called upon the Muslims to follow Islam in everyday life and dedicate them to establish Islamic values in the society.
The three-day congregation began with the delivery of Aam Bayan (principal sermon) after the Fazr prayers on Friday. Throughout the three days, Islamic scholars from different countries delivered sermons on various aspects of Islam.Around 12,000 security personnel from the police and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), and various intelligence agencies have been put in place to ensure security.
The state-owned Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) is running 228 buses for carrying the devotees to the Ijtema ground from different places, including the capital, and sending them back to their respective areas.
The second phase will start on 15th January and conclude on 17th January with the Akheri Munajat. For the first time, the Ijtema is being held in four phases in two years.
The government arranged special trains, buses and river craft to carry devotees from ijtema ground to their homes.
Bangladesh has been hosting the Bishwa Ijtema since 1967.
BBN/SK/AD