The first phase of the 57th Bishwa Ijtema, the second largest congregation of Muslims, ended on Sunday through “Akheri Munajat” (final prayer).
Maulana Hafez Zobair Ahmad, leader of Bangladesh Tabligh Jamaat and head imam of Kakrail Jame Masjid in Dhaka, conducted the prayer on the last day of the three-day ijtema.
Thousands of devotees sought mercy from Almighty Allah by raising their hands for divine forgiveness and blessings for peace and prosperity of the Muslim ummah. They also prayed for the country’s welfare.
After the Fajr prayer, Pakistani Tabligh leader Ziaul Huq delivered the sermon, which was translated into Bangla by Bangladeshi Maulana Nurul Rahman.

As part of the rationalised traffic system centring the final prayer, the movement of vehicles remained suspended from Tongi-Kamarpara road on the Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway — from Tongi to Bhogra Bypass in Gazipur and from Abdullahpur to Ashulia Bypile — from Saturday midnight (12am) to 2pm Sunday.

Commencing on Friday after Fajr prayers, this edition of Ijtema kicked off with general sermons by the esteemed Maulana Ahmad Buttullah from Pakistan. The grounds of the Ijtema witnessed the influx of several hundred thousand Muslim worshippers from around the world. So far, 14 elderly devotees have died at the Ijtema venue during the first phase of the global congregation, said Habibulla Imran, media coordinator of the Tabligh Jamaat.
Of them, four devotees died Saturday night, he said.
For security, approximately 15,000 law enforcement officials were on duty at the Ijtema grounds and the surrounding vicinity, supplemented by undercover police and intelligence personnel.

Members of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) were also present, with watchtowers erected to oversee and ensure the safety of the congregation.
Tabligh Jamaat has been organising the congregation at the venue since 1967. In 2011, it divided Ijtema into two phases to accommodate a large number of attendees.
The second phase of Ijtema will be held from 9-11 February this year.

Two Ijtema attendees die in Tongi road accident
Two Biswa Ijtema devotees were killed and 11 people were injured when a covered van hit an autorickshaw at Shilmun of Tongi in Gazipur on Sunday.
The deceased were identified as Jony, 18, son of Monir Hossain of South Sadharchar village in Shibpur upazila of Narsingdi, and Sohel, 40, son of Kajal Mia of the same village.
The injured were Firoz, 50, Jahirul Islam, 52, Jisan, 22, Zahid Hasan, 35, Iqbal Hossain, 55, Nazrul Islam, 50, Anisur Rahman, Md. Borhan Uddin, 50 and Basir Uddin, 55 and two unidentified people. The condition of the unidentified victims was stated to be critical.
Mostafizur Rahman, officer-in-charge of the Tongi East Police Station of Gazipur Metropolitan Police, said the accident occurred around 7pm before the “Akheri Munajat”.