TONGI, Dec 31: All preparations are afoot to hold the Biswa Ijtema, the second largest Muslim congregation after the holy hajj, on the bank of the river Turag here from January 6, reports BSS.

An estimated 25 lakh devotees from 35 Muslim countries, including the host Bangladesh are expected to attend the 35th annual Ijtema, organisers told the agency today.

Similar number of musallis took part in the last year's Ijtema, they said.

A two-kilometre square pandel has been erected to house the devotees from home and abroad.

About 10,000 makeshift toilets and 250 tubewells have been installed for use of the devotees, the Ijtema committee said.

Bangladesh Army has installed three bailey bridges over the river Turag to facilitate movements of the musallis.

Two helipads have been set up at TSS play ground in Tongi and Harirampur for ferrying the devotees in case of any emergency.

Besides, special trains and BRTC buses will ply to facilitate movement of the devotees during and before the Ijtema.

Special arrangements have been made to ensure law and order and medical facilities for the musallis, organisers said.

A press release of Bangladesh Railway said, a number of special trains will ply in different routes from January 5 to 9 to facilitate movement of the participants.

One special train will operate from Mymensingh, Akhaura and Bhairabbazar to Tongi from January 5 to 7.

On the day of Akheri Munajat, five special trains will operate from Dhaka to Tongi.

On January 9, two special trains will run from Tongi to Mymensingh and another special train from Akhaura and Bhairabbazar to Tongi.

Talking to BSS, local MP Ahsanullah Master said the government and the Iztema committee have taken all preparations to hold the coming Biswa Ijtema peacefully.

A round-the-clock control room has been set up at the Ijtema site to oversee the holy gathering, he said.

The Ijtema committee recently held a preparatory meeting at the Ijtema ground. State Minister for Rural Development and Cooperatives Advocate Rahmat Ali, Ahsanullah Master MP, Chairman of Tongi Pourasava Azmatullah Khan, DC of Gazipur Shamsul Huq and local coordinator of Ijtema committee Dr Azizul Huq attended the meeting.