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Ijtema cut short for inclement weather

3 die: Akheri Munajat held on opening day

Kailash Sarkar
In an unprecedented incident, the three-day Biswa Ijtema. ostensibly the second largest yearly congregation of the Muslims, on the bank of TUrag River at Tongi was cut short on its inaugural day yesterday due to an inclement weather that had caused deaths of at least three pilgrims.
The akheri munajat or the concluding prayers of this year's ijtema started at 7:55pm ending at 8:15pm yesterday instead of its schedule tomorrow.
Talking to The Daily Star, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Nur Mohammad confirmed that the authorities took the decision considering the sufferings of several lakh pilgrims in a bitter cold weather.
The three elderly pilgrims died yesterday and on Thursday night due to the cold wave that has been
sweeping through the country. The deceased are Ali Ashraf, 55, from Bogra. and Raqibuddin, 70 and Giasuddin. 80 from Pabna.
Assistant Super of Police (ASP) of Gazipur Circle said, "The three pilgrims died due to the cold wave, their old age might also have contributed to the loss."
"Their namaz-e-janaza was held on the ijtema ground, and the bodies have been kept in Gazipur Hospital", he added.
Commander SMAK Azad, director of the Legal and Media Wing of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab), said the decision to cut short this year’s ijtema had been taken by the event's organising committee, which was then okayed by the Gazipur deputy commissioner.
He said. "As far as I know, this is the first time the ijtema has been cut short ending it on the inaugural day."
He also said after the akheri
munajat, several lakh pilgrims started leaving the ijtema ground heading home, soon to be gripped by panic as there was not enough transport to absorb the rush.
Many of them, however, decided to stay on the ground for the night despite its terrible condition.
Earlier, defying the bitter cold wave accompanied by a daylong drizzle, about two million people from across the country and abroad joined the jum'a prayer.
But, after the jum'a prayer, many of them were forced by the terrible weather to leave the ground.
The tents could not save them from the relentless drizzle that had started Thursday morning. The situation became worse as the entire 5 square kilometre ijtema ground turned muddy.
The tents and mats were damaged in the rain forcing the pilgrims to collect more mats, while many of them collected polythene as an alternative since they were more cost effective. Some pilgrims were seen collecting sand from adjacent areas to spread overthemuddy ground.
Most of the pilgrims could not reach their specific zones of stay on the ground due to stagnated water on the ground and muddy soil.
Many elderly pilgrims had to take shelter in various mosques and other p laces adj acent to the ijtema ground.
Kakrai! Mosque Khatib also Sura Committee Member ofTablig Jamaat Moulana Zobayer led the jum’a prayer.
Not finding any space on the ijtema ground to pray, many were seen offering the jum’a prayer on Dhaka-Mymensingh highway. Traffic on • Ohaka-Mymensingh and Dhaka-(.azipur highways were brought to a grinding halt for an hour during the
According to official sources. 5.636 foreign Muslims from 56 countries loined the event till 4 00pm yesterday, 1.949 of whom spoke Aranic. 2,200 -.poke Urdu and Hindi. 1,430 spoke English, and 57 spoke Chinese. Sermons of Muslim scholars were translated into 161anguages.
The foreign pilgrims were staying in two camps designated for them at the northern end of the ijtema ground. Sources said more foreign pilgrims were on their way.
Many women and elderly pilgrims were also participating in the ijtema - raying with their relatives in Tongi and Uttara.
Meanwhile, law enforcers arrested 75 pickpockets yesterday and on Thursday from the ijtema ground.
About 12,000 security personnel from police. Rab. Bangladesh Rifles BDR). Armed Police Battalion (APBn). and Ansar were deployed to ensure sccuriry.
A few hundred members of various intelligence agencies, Bomb disposal units from trie army and Rab. and several mobile courts were also in operation there.