Three more devotees die at Ijtema ground 

Three more devotees died at the Biswa Ijtema ground in Tongi of Gazipur in the early hours of Saturday. This brings the total number of deaths to seven during the first phase of Ijtema since Friday.

The deceased are Nowsher Ali, 65, son of late Samsher Ali from Sherpur Sadar; Abdul Kader, 55, son of Belayet Hossain from Bhola; and Swadhin, 45, son of Hossain Ahmed from Netrokona Sadar.

Habibullah Rayhan, the media coordinator of the congregation, said the deceased were staying at the Ijtema ground along with other devotees and fell sick at different times during the night. They were taken to the Shaheed Ahsan Ullah Master General Hospital, where physicians pronounced them dead.

Their namaz-e-janaza took place at the Ijtema ground after the Fajr prayer on Saturday, he added.

The first phase of the 57th Biswa Ijtema began on Friday after the Fajr prayer along the banks of the Turag River. Maulana Ahmad Buttullah of Pakistan delivered the opening sermon (Ambayan) at the congregation.

Despite various challenges, hundreds of thousands of Muslim devotees have gathered from around the world at the Ijtema ground. The first phase will conclude with the final supplication on Sunday, while the second phase is scheduled to commence on 9 February.