GAZIPUR: The three-day Bishwa Ijtema, the second largest congregation of Muslims after the Hajj, has begun on the bank of the Turag River at Tongi upazila in Gazipur on Friday (January 8).
With the participation of devotees from Bangladesh and the rest of the world, the congregation kicked off after Fazr prayers with delivering special sermons (am-bayan) by veteran Islamic scholars.
The congregation, organized by Tablig Jamaat, will conclude on Sunday amid the final prayers 'Akheri Munajat'.
In three days, Islamic scholars will deliver boyans (sermons) on the fundamental issues of Tabligh, prayer for the spiritual adoration, exaltation and welfare of the Muslim Ummah.
Dr M Ali Haider Khan, civil surgeon of Gazipur said that holidays, leaves of all physicians, staff in Gazipur have been cancelled from January 7, day before Ijtema begins to provide smooth medical service to devotees.
Four temporary medical camps have also been installed in different parts in the Ijtema ground.
The 50-bed Tongi Government Hospital has been upgraded to 100-bed on the occasion of Bishwa Ijtema, he added
Moreover, Cardiology Department, Orthopedic and Trauma Center and Asthma and heart disease units have been opened at the hospital.
Adequate security arrangement has been made for ensuring safety of the people.
Hundreds of members from different law enforcement agencies have been deployed in and around the Ijtema ground for ensuring security of the devotees.
Special arrangements are made with corrugated iron sheets at the ground. The army has made eight floating bridges across the Turag to facilitate the movement of the devotees.
Four thousand members of police, RAB and other agencies have been deployed to ensure security of devotee at the Ijtema ground.
RAB and police installed several observation towers and the whole Ijtema ground is being monitored through CCTV cameras.
The congregation is being arranged in two phases for the last four years considering the increasing number of devotees.
BDST: 0955 HRS, JAN 8, 2016
RS
