First phase of Biswa Ijtema begins 31 Jan

The first phase of Biswa Ijtema will be held from 31 January to 2 February, while the second phase will take place from 7 to 9 February 2025 on the bank of Turag River at Tongi in Gazipur district.

Home affairs adviser Lt. Gen. (retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury revealed this after a meeting with two factions of the Tabligh Jamaat at the Ministry of Home Affairs Monday.

Besides, the adviser said maintaining the law and order, and overall security issues over the upcoming Biswa Ijtema, were also discussed during the meeting.

“We don’t want any division between the Islamic scholars (alem-ulema) . . . If it is necessary, we will discuss the matter with them again,” he added.

During the meeting, Ijtema-related issues, including fixation of Biswa Ijtema date, handing over the Ijtema ground and its preparation, maintaining law and order, formation of different committees to ensure smooth holding of the congregations and supervising the overall activities, issuing of foreign guests’ visas, traffic control of VVIPs and setting up control room were discussed.

Besides, ensuring uninterrupted power supply, water supply and sanitation, plying of special train-bus services for the devotees, construction of pontoon and floating bridges, measures to prevent emergency disasters and accidents, providing first aid and emergency treatment to devotees, management of makeshift shops, eviction of slums and illegal structures, informing the devotes about the transportation system, hygienic food supply in Ijtema areas, and taking measures to ease traffic congestion on the day of the congregation were also discussed.

Religious adviser AFM Khalid Hossain, industrial adviser Adilur Rahman Khan, information and broadcasting adviser Nahid Islam, special assistant to the chief adviser on defence and improving national unity Lieutenant General (Retd) Abdul Hafiz, home ministry’s senior secretary Mohammad Abdul Momen and concerned officials were present.

Meanwhile, followers of Maulana Saad Kandhalvi attended the meeting while representatives of Maulana Zubair Hasan were not present there.

The Tabligh Jamaat has been hosting the Biswa Ijtema, popularly known as the second largest Muslim congregation after the Holy Hajj, at Tongi since 1967.

But the holding of the Ijtema in phase system was introduced in 2011 to ensure better management as the number of Ijtema devotees on the bank of Turag River in the outskirt Tongi is gradually increasing day by day.