Akheri Munajat ends seeking world peace

The Akheri Munajat, seeking spiritual well-being and welfare of the Muslim Ummah, of the second phase of three-day Biswa Ijtema, ended this morning.

Several millions devotees, including around 10,000 foreigners from 100 countries, participated in the Akheri Munajat of the Ijtema, the second largest Muslim congregation after the Hajj, today.

The second phase of the three-day Ijtema started on the bank of the Turag river in Tongi of Gazipur on Friday.

Noted Indian Islamic scholar Mawlana Muhammad Saad led the munajat around 11:00am. Before that, he delivered a sermon on the importance of Islam based on the holy Quran and Hadith.

The first phase started on January 8 and concluded on January 10 with Akheri Munajat.

On the second day yesterday, thousands more devotees joined the congregation braving cold. Religious scholars delivered sermons on Islamic philosophy in the light of the holy Quran and Hadith.

Meanwhile, additional security measures have been put in place ahead of today's Akheri Munajat. Around 12,000 uniformed and plainclothes police, Rab, and intelligence agencies' members are deployed in and around the Ijtema ground to avert any untoward situation.

People from 33 districts, including Dhaka, are taking part in two phases of the Ijtema this year. Devotees from 17 districts took part in the first phase while devotees from 16 districts are taking part in the second phase. Those from the remaining 32 districts, also including Dhaka, would participate in the other two phases next year.

Tablighi Jamaat has been organising Biswa Ijtema every year since 1946. In 2011, the organisers had split the congregation into two phases to deal with overcrowding and ensure better management and security.