Massive gathering begins for the 58th World Ijtema at Turag riverbank

The Report Desk

Published: January 30, 2025, 01:21 PM

Massive gathering begins for the 58th World Ijtema at Turag riverbank

Source: Collected

The 58th World Ijtema is all set to start at the Turag Riverbank in Tongi, Gazipur, this Friday. 

The official opening of the event will take place this Thursday evening with the Am Bayan, an opening speech, as confirmed by Habibullah Raihan, the media coordinator for the Ijtema. 

The event will be held under the supervision of religious scholars from the Tabligh Jamaat.

In preparation for the event, strict security measures have been set up, and the authorities have arranged various facilities to make sure the pilgrims have a comfortable experience.

By Wednesday, many pilgrims, especially the representatives from different regions, began arriving at the Ijtema grounds. They’ve been settling in their designated areas on the field. 

People from both inside the country and from various parts of the world are expected to continue arriving through Friday.

This year’s Ijtema will be held in two phases, with the supervision of religious scholars (Ulamaye Kiraam) under the Shurai Nezami system. 

The first phase will kick off on January 31 and end with the final prayer (Akhiri Munajat) on February 2. 

The second phase will begin on February 3 and end on February 5.

Habibullah Raihan shared, 

"For the first time, the Ijtema is being held in two phases under the Shurai Nezami system. The first phase will include participants from Dhaka and 41 other districts such as Gazipur, Tongi, Dharmarai, Gaibandha, Mirpur, Kakrail, Natore, Moulvibazar, Rajshahi, and many more. In addition, pilgrims from over 50 countries have already arrived and are staying in their designated areas on the western side of the main grounds."

He went on to explain, 

"The Tabligh work is an essential part of our faith, and the religious scholars (Ulamaye Kiraam) play an important role in guiding us. Many devoted followers want to be a part of this work under their guidance. The number of people is so large that accommodating everyone on the 160-acre field is quite a challenge. This is why we are holding the Ijtema in two phases this year."

The local authorities have taken several measures to ensure the smooth running of the event. 

The Gazipur City Corporation, Public Health Engineering Department, DESCO, and Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution are all working together to provide necessary services.

Rezaul Hossain, Executive Engineer of the District Public Health Engineering Department, mentioned that 9,000 permanent toilets have been set up for the pilgrims. 

The authorities will also ensure that there is enough water supply for Wudu (ablution) and bathing.

As for security, the law enforcement agencies have set up a strong security framework. 

The area is divided into five sectors, each monitored by the security forces. Gazipur Metropolitan Police Commissioner Dr. Nazmul Karim Khan explained, 

"This year, there will be at least 7,000 law enforcement personnel, including uniformed police, stationed at the Ijtema. RAB helicopters will be patrolling, and we will have bomb disposal units and dog squads on duty. Plainclothes officers will also be present. We will be monitoring the area with 16 watchtowers, and 15 sub-control rooms are set up to respond quickly to any reports."

He added,

"We will be using drones to keep an eye on the entire area to ensure any incidents are dealt with quickly. The whole ground will be covered by 335 CCTV cameras. We also have 35 rooftop stations and 20 mobile patrol units. There will be 20 checkpoints to prevent any troublemakers from entering the Ijtema grounds."

As for traffic management, Dr. Khan said that the authorities will be removing encroachments from the footpaths, and from January 31 to February 2, no goods vehicles will be allowed to enter the roads leading to the Ijtema grounds. 

On the day of the final prayer, the area will be vehicle-free to allow smooth movement for the pilgrims.

The first phase of the World Ijtema will be held from January 31 to February 2, and the second phase will take place from February 3 to February 5.

After an eight-day break, the Ijtema for the Saad faction will begin on February 14 and end with the final prayer on February 16.

 

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