First phase of Bishwa Ijtema begins today

M M Jasim :The Biswa Ijtema, the second largest congregation of Muslims after Hajj, begins today (Friday) despite BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia’s call to continue non-stop blockade.The three-day long first phase of Biswa Ijtema will begin on the bank of River Turag at Tongi, Gazipur and conclude on Sunday with Akheri Munajat seeking spiritual wellbeing and welfare of the Muslim Ummah. Devotees from 32 districts will join the first phase. Devotees from rest 32 districts will attend the second phase. The government has taken foolproof security in and around the Ijtema venue by deploying Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Police, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and plainclothes law enforcers. Thousands of devotees have already gathered for Biswa Ijtema. A good number of the devotees reached the Ijtema venue with difficulties due to transport crisis in the wake of the blockade programme. “We, a group of 48 people, arrived here today (Thursday) keeping faith in Allah. Our bus came under attack by pickets at Mohasthangar in Bogra,” said Lutfor Rahman, 55, who along with other devotees left Dinajpur at 9:00pm on Wednesday and reached the ground at 4:00am yesterday.This year the number of foreign devotees may likely to increase, said Giyas Uddin, one of the organisers.As many as 17,000 devotees from abroad attended the Ijtema last year, he added. Additional Secretary to Home Ministry Mostofa Kamal Uddin earlier said that the people of Ebola-affected countries have been advised to procure clearance certificates before coming to the Ijtema. They would have to take one certificate from their respective countries and the other from the Tabligh Jamaat authorities before applying for visa, he added. He further said they had opened a reception centre at the airports in Bangladesh for issuing on-arrival visas for the devotees. Apart from the airports, cells had been formed at different land ports to issue on-arrival visas after proper examination, he added. Superintendent of Police of Gazipur Harun-ur-Rashid said a five-tire security system would be in place at the Ijtema ground. Law enforcers would also patrol the Ijtema venue. Plainclothes police will also remain alert, he added. There would be three helipads to carry sick or injured persons and VIPs to hospitals, he said.Commanding Officer of RAB Lt Col Tuhin Mohammad Masud said the elite force would also remain alert to ensure security at the Ijtema. He said, they would monitor the Ijtema through CCTV, watchtower, mobile courts, detectives, helicopter patrol and river patrol. Different organisations would offer free medical services for devotees in case of emergencies. Three teams from Gazipur Civil Surgeon’s office will work round the clock and 14 ambulances will also work to ensure healthcare.Work was going on to set up seven floating bridges by today (Thursday) to cross the Turag River.Executive Engineer of Gazipur City Corporation Mujibur Rahman Kajol said they had taken different initiatives to supply pure drinking water and arranged 4,000 public toilets at the venue. Executive Engineer of DESCO Tongi (East) Monzurul Hasan said they would set up five makeshift power camps to ensure electricity supply, adding that a team of 200 personnel would work round the clock to that end.