People have started to gather and the preparations are almost done for the Biswa Ijtema on the Turag in Tongi yesterday. The only worry for the Ijtema that begins tomorrow seems to be the non-stop nationwide blockade by the BNP-led alliance. Photo: Sk Enamul Haq Amid a non-stop countrywide blockade enforced by the BNP-led 20-party alliance, thousands of devotees have started gathering for Biswa Ij
tema, the three-day congregation scheduled to begin tomorrow on the bank of the Turag at Tongi, Gazipur. The devotees were streaming into the 160-acre Ijtema ground since Tuesday to attend the first phase, which would conclude on Sunday with Akheri Munajat seeking spiritual wellbeing and welfare of the Muslim Ummah. Talking to The Daily Star on the current political situation, a Murobbi, one of the organisers, said, "We hope both the ruling and the opposition parties will show tolerance to each other." Those who went on the way of Allah would attend the Ijtema keeping faith in Him even if the blockade was not lifted, he observed. He, however, said the blockade would definitely make it difficult for devotees to come to the ground. "We, a group of 48 people, arrived here today keeping faith in Allah. Our bus came under attack by picketers at Mohasthangar in Bogra," said Lutfor Rahman, 55, who along with other devotees left Dinajpur at 9:00pm on Tuesday and reached the ground at 4:00am yesterday. He said their bus driver was wounded during the attack, but they continued on their path with the help of another driver. "We are general people and we want to perform our Ijtema peacefully, for which opposition parties should lift the blockade considering our sufferings," said Md Jasim Uddin who came to the ground from Jamalpur. Advertisement The annual congregation will be performed in two phases -- January 9-11 and January 16-18 -- for the fourth time to ensure better management and security. Devotees from 32 districts will attend the first phase, while devotees from the rest 32 districts will join the second phase. Several million devotees are expected to join Juma prayers on Friday. Organised by the Tabligh Jamaat, the congregation starts formally after Fazr prayers with religious sermons by Islamic scholars and prayers. This year the number of foreign devotees was likely to increase, said Giyas Uddin, one of the organisers. As many as 17,000 devotees from abroad attended the Ijtema last year, he added. Additional Secretary to Home Ministry Mostofa Kamal Uddin on Saturday said at Gazipur City Corporation they had given instructions to people of the Ebola-affected countries to take clearance certificates before coming to the Ijtema. They would have to take one certificate from their respective countries and another from the Tabligh Jamaat before applying for visa, he added. He further said they had opened a reception centre at the airports in Bangladesh for issuing on-arrival visas for the devotees. Apart from the airports, committees had been formed for different land ports to issue on-arrival visas after proper examination, he added. Superintendent of Police of Gazipur Harun-ur-Rashid said a five-tire security system would be in place at the Ijtema ground. Law enforcers would also patrol the Ijtema venue and plainclothes police would remain alert, he added. There would be three helipads to carry sick or injured persons and VIPs, he said. Commanding Officer of Rab Lt Col Tuhin Mohammad Masud said the elite force would also remain alert to ensure security at the Ijtema. He said they would monitor the Ijtema through CCTV, watchtower, mobile courts, detectives, helicopter patrol and river patrol. Different organisations would offer free medical services for devotees in case of emergencies. Three hundred buses of Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation will be used to carry devotees to the Ijtema ground from across the country. Work was going on to set up seven floating bridges by today to cross the Turag river. Executive Engineer of Gazipur City Corporation Mujibur Rahman Kajol said they had taken different initiatives to supply pure drinking water and arranged 4,000 public toilets at the venue. Executive Engineer of Desco Tongi (East) Monzurul Hasan said they would set up five makeshift power camps to ensure electricity supply, adding that a team of 200 personnel would work round the clock to that end.
No comments:
Post a Comment