Special Correspondent :
The second phase of the three-day 57th Bishwa Ijtema – the second-largest congregation of Muslims – ended on Sunday with Akheri Munajat as lakhs of devotees from around 66 countries raised their hands seeking divine blessings for mankind and Muslim Ummah.
Under the guidance of Maulana Yusuf, the son of esteemed Indian cleric Maulana Muhammad Saad Kandhalvi, conducted the prayer from 11:15am to 11:43am.
In the three-day long, at least seven devotees were died at the Ijtema ground.
Since Sunday midnight, people were seen entering the Ijtema venue on the banks of the Tongi’s Turag River in groups to participate Akheri Munajat (final prayers).
The ceremony is not just a spiritual zenith but also a demonstration of international Muslim solidarity, with participants fervently seeking divine mercy and global peace.
The Ijtema has magnetized thousands from across Bangladesh and the globe, converging in unity for the concluding prayer.
Their collective supplications will seek not only personal redemption but also the welfare and prosperity of Muslims worldwide and the host nation.
However, the day began with a sermon by Indian Tabligh leader Mufti Maksud, after the Fajr prayer, with Maulana Abdullah of Bangladesh translated the sermon in bangla, further bridging cultural and linguistic divides among the attendees.
The Ijtema commenced on Friday after the Fajr prayers, with the grounds quickly filling with hundreds of thousands of worshippers, eager to participate in the sermons and prayers that define this spiritual assembly.
Tragically, this phase witnessed the loss of seven lives, adding to the solemnity of the gathering and the heartfelt prayers for mercy.
This follows 14 earlier fatalities in the first phase, underscoring the event’s massive scale and the intense devotion of its participants.
Since its inception in 1967, the Tabligh Jamaat has hosted this gathering, which was split into two phases in 2011 to accommodate the increasing number of participants.
Security at the event was stringent, with a significant presence of law enforcement and the elite Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) ensuring the safety of the devout amidst this massive gathering.
Like the first phase, the railway authorities arranged special trains on various routes, including Cumilla, Akhaura and Mymensingh.
All trains halted at Tongi station for five minutes before and after the final prayer.
On February 2, the first phase of Bishwa Ijtema began with the Aam Bayan. On February 4, it ended with the Akheri Munajat conducted by Kakrail Jame Mosque’s Pesh Imam Mawlana Jubayer Ahmed.
