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Biswa Ijtema Begins

Devotees swarm banks of Turag

Helemul Alam and Abu Bakar Siddique Akand
Devotees from home and abroad poured into the Ijtema ground on the Turag as the first phase of Biswa Ijtema began yesterday.
The Ijtema venue in Tongi, around 20-kilometres off the capital, literally turned into a human sea during the Juma prayers with rows of worshippers on the 160-acre ground. Maulana Qwari Zobayer, imam of Kakrail mosque, led the prayers.
Many people offered Juma prayers on boats and the roofs of vehicles, while some others along the nearby roads and roofs of buildings. A huge number of devotees from in and around the capital came to the ground only to attend the Juma prayers.
Traffic on the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway and Tongi-Kamarpara road was halted for a few hours, creating tailbacks.
The Ijtema began with religious sermons by Maulana Ismail Bhatara of Pakistan after
the Fajr prayers yesterday and is scheduled to wind up tomorrow with Akheri Munajat.
Devout Muslims from 32 districts have joined the first phase of the Ijtema. Participants from rest of the districts will congregate for the second phase (January 31 -February 2), said the organisers.
Around 7,000 devotees from 20 countries, including Qatar, Australia, Denmark, India, Pakistan, Germany and Brunei, have joined the Ijtema.
The three-day congregation includes sermons on the fundamental issues of Tabligh, prayers for exaltation and welfare of the Muslim Ummah and recitation from the holy Quran and Hadith.
Ulemas and Islamic scholars from different countries have been giving lectures, which are interpreted instantly in Bangla, English, Arabic and some other languages.
Like the previous years, a dowry free marriage ceremony will be held today. Though there is no provision for women joining the Ijtema, several hundred females have already reached near the venue. Many have rented spaces near shops and houses adjacent to the Ijtema ground.
Devotee Fedousi Begum said if women can perform Hajj, then why they will not be allowed to attend the Ijtema, the largest congregation of the Muslims after Hajj.
TIGHT SECURITY
A five-layer security system by over 20,000 uniformed and plainclothes policemen and members of Rab and intelligence agencies is in place at the Ijtema ground.
Three helicopters of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) have been hovering over the venue since the beginning of the Ijtema. Besides, 14 watch towers of Rab and police have been set up to ensure security, said Abdul Baten, police superintendent of Gazipur.
Tongi police said a mobile court has sentenced three muggers to 10 days rigorous imprisonment each for mugging near the Ijtema ground.
FREE MEDICAL SERVICE
A physician of Gazipur Sadar Hospital said some 3,180 devotees received treat-
ment at their medical camps at the Ijtema ground till 2:00pm yesterday.
Apart from the government medical booths, a good number of privately run free medical camps are providing medical services to the devotees.
TEMPORARY BUSINESSES
Many people have opened businesses near the Ijtema venue to make some bucks.
Selling of different kinds of food items, prayer mat, cap, charging of mobile phone handsets, and water purification are among the businesses. Many students were selling newspapers and masks.
"I've come here to sell masks to earn some money, with which I'll pay my exam fees," said Monir Hossain, a class-V student ofSunflower School atTongi.
THREE DIE
Omar Ali, 48, of Keraniganj in Dhaka, Abdul Majid Pramanik, 65, of Belkuchi in Sirajganj and Shahjalal, 26, of Sufiyabad in Feni died of cardiac arrest, old age complications and diarrhoea early on Friday, said Mahbubur Rahman Chowdhury, resident medical officer of Tongi Upazila Health Complex.