THE three-day ‘Biswa Ijtema’ the second largest congregation of the Muslims, which is only next to the Hajj in Mecca begins at Tongi, in the outskirts of the city on the banks of the Turag river from today after Juma prayers. It will be held in two phases-the first from January 24 to 26 to end in the wrapping up of prayers on Sunday. The second phase will begin on January 31 to end in February 2. The congregation is held in two phases from 2011 in view of the huge gathering and the pressure on the Ijtema ground and its infrastructure facilities. As always, several million people from home and almost from all over the world will take part in the 49th Ijtema beginning today with the biggest security challenge to the government, in addition to putting pressure on the civic facilities like water supply, sanitation, medicare and transportation. We felicitate the event and welcome the devotees who are joining it from home and abroad at a time when the country a facing severe political crisis.
News reports said that the government has mobilized a five layer security arrangement in and around the Ijtema ground. Over 12,000 law enforcers will be on duty on the occasion during the first phase and another 10,000 will work during the second phase. The authorities will also deploy RAB and give them a control room to keep a watch on the mammoth gathering. RAB helicopters will fly in the sky of the Ijtema ground to prevent any kind of terrorist attacks. Intelligence agents and dog squads will also be at work. The government will run 22 special trains to carry the devotees to and from the capital on this occasion. It has also installed dozens of CCTV cameras at the entrance of the congregation gathering to stamp out any security risks.
As we see the event has turned out to be the biggest annual religious gathering of the Tablig Jamaat which is working worldwide to call people to practice Islam with devotion and join the believing folk. They are a group of people who spend their time and money to preach and above all they keep them above political controversy to remain acceptable to all. The Biswa Ijtema has become a milestone event in the calendar of many Muslim devotees who keep on waiting throughout the year to join it. In the sideline of the gathering, the elders of the movement also take the opportunity to discuss the next year’s programmes and send teams to different countries and destinations within the country after the congregation is over. Besides its religious significance, the occasion also brings enormous business to local people and hoteliers. Vendors earn handsome incomes by selling home-made artifacts. We wish all devotees a happy time and a safe and healthy stay in the shivering cold and through many such discomforts. May Allah grace the gathering and the nation as a whole on this occasion!
