Devotees converging on Ijtema venue on day 2

Staff Reporter :
Several lakh Muslim devotees gathered at the first phase of Bishwa Ijtema, one of the biggest congregations of the Muslims in the world, in Tongi for the second day on Saturday.
The three-day Ijtema began on the bank of the River Turag after Fajr prayers on Friday with sermons delivered by noted Islamic scholar Maulana Ziaul Haque from Pakistan.
Maulana Khurshidul Haque also from Pakistan delivered sermons after Fajr prayers and Maulana Ibrahim Deula from India also delivered sermons in the morning.
Devotees from different parts of the country have attended the Ijtema venue by buses, trucks, boats and on foot till Saturday night. The first phase of Ijtema will end on Sunday morning with akheri munajat (final prayers).
Meanwhile, four more elderly devotees died on Ijtema maidan. So far, seven devotees, who came to attend the first phase of Bishwa Ijtema, have died at the Ijtema maidan due to old age complications.
Of them, four devotees died between Friday night and Saturday morning.
The deceased were Nurul Haque, 63, from Sylhet, Abu Taiab alias Abu Taleb, 90 from Gazipur district, Habibullah Habi, 68 from Keraniganj upazila in Dhaka, Mofazzel Hossain Khan, 70, Dumuria upazila in Khulna district, Akkas Ali Shikdar, 50 from Munshiganj district, Abdur Razzak, 70, from Chattogram and Habibur Rahman Hobi, 70, from Narsingdi district.
Besides, Gazipur Metropolitan Police has issued some directives regarding traffic movement to reduce suffering of Bishwa Ijtema devotees.
Movements of vehicles on some roads in Gazipur will remain suspended for around six hours due to the ongoing Bishwa Ijtema.
GMP Commissioner Mollah Nazrul Islam disclosed this in a press briefing at police control room set up at the Ijtema venue saying that the traffic movement has been rearranged as devotees from remote areas of the country will join the ‘Akheri Munajat’ on Sunday morning.
The Bishwa Ijtema is being held in two phases from 2012 to ease accommodation issues.
The second phase of Ijtema is scheduled to be held in January, 20-22, at the same place.
Several health centres have been set up at different parts of the venue along with beds and almost all first aid and other treatment facilities with doctors doing round-the-clock duties at each of the centres.
Special measures have also been taken to ensure uninterrupted electricity during the three-day Ijtema.
Tabligh Jamaat has been organising the congregation at the Tongi venue since 1967. In 2011, the Ijtema was arranged into two phases to accommodate a large number of devotees.