Largest Tablighi congregation ends with concluding prayer 

The second phase of the three-day Biswa Ijtema, the second largest congregation of Muslims after Hajj, ended on the banks of the Turag River in Tongi on Sunday through the ‘Akheri Munajat’ (final prayers).

Maulana Mohammad Jamshed of India’s Delhi conducted the final prayers, said Maulana Syed Wasiful Islam. It concluded shortly after 12pm, reports United News of Bangladesh.

The 55th edition of the Biswa Ijtema began on Friday with general sermons after Fazr prayers with the participation of followers of Indian Islamic preacher Maulana Muhammad Saad Al Kandhalvi.

Devotees from home and abroad thronged the banks of Turag to take part in Ijtema.

Indian Islamic scholar Maulana Mohammad Mursalin conducted sermon after Fazr prayers that were translated in Bangla by Mufti Azimuddin on Saturday.

Meanwhile, five devotees died at the Ijtema venue during the second phase of Biswa Ijtema.

Md Anwar Hossain, commissioner of Gazipur Metropolitan Police, said they arranged extra buses and special train services for smooth movements of devotees.

The first phase of three-day Biswa Ijtema ended on January 12 where followers of Maulana Zubair Hassan, the imam of Kakrail mosque, took part.

Tabligh Jamaat has been organising the congregation at the venue since 1967.

Kamruzzaman