The first phase of Biswa Ijtema will begin on January 31, 2025, Home Adviser Lt. Gen (retd) Md Jahangir Alam has said. “The first phase of Biswa Ijtema will be held on January 31, February 1 and 2, and the second phase will take place on February 7-9,” the adviser announced after a meeting with two factions of the Tabligh Jamaat at the Ministry of Home Affairs. Followers of Maulana Saad Kandhalvi attended the meeting while representatives of Maulana Zubair Hasan were absent. Read: Second phase of Biswa Ijtema begins on banks of Turag The meeting discussed several issues including the ground preparedness, law and order, handover of the ground, providing visa to guests, overall safety of VVIPs, VIPs, traffic control, and setting up control rooms, water supply and sewerage system. Moreover, it discussed measures to prevent disasters and accidents, first aid for the devotees, management of temporary shops, eviction of slums and illegal establishments, monitoring of sale of hygienic food at Ijtema venue,  removal of obscene movie posters and measures to reduce traffic congestion on the day of Akheri Munajat. The decision on which of the groups will get the venue first has not been taken yet as the followers of Zubair refrained from attending the meeting. The Tabligh Jamaat has been hosting the Bishwa Ijtema at Tongi since 1967 and introduced the phase system in 2011 to better manage the growing number of participants.

The second phase of the three-day ‘Biswa Ijtema’, one of the largest congregations of Muslims in the world, will begin on Friday morning on the bank of the Turag River in Gazipur's Tongi. The authorities have completed the necessary preparations to hold the religious gathering smoothly. Six men die on Biswa Ijtema ground A good number of foreign devotees from different parts of the world along with Bangladeshis have already thronged the Ijtema venue. The second phase of Ijtema will start after fajr prayers through ‘Aam Bayan’ on Friday and will end on Sunday (Feb 11) through Akheri Munajat. First phase of Biswa Ijtema begins Devotees from different foreign countries including India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Europe, America and Africa have reached the venue. Meanwhile, members of law enforcement agencies will be deployed to maintain law and order at the Ijtema venue and adjacent areas. Besides, plainclothes police and intelligence officers will remain deployed in the area. All out measures taken for fire safety for devotees in Biswa Ijtema: FSCD The first phase of Bishwa Ijtema ended on February 4 at the same venue starting on February 2.

Muslim devotees who attended the first phase of three-day Biswa Ijtema from neighbouring India have started returning home through Benapole land port in Jashore on Monday (February 05, 2024) morning. Sources at the port’s immigration office said that a huge number of devotees came to Bangladesh from several states of India to participate the Ijtema that ended on Sunday with Akheri Munajat on the banks of the Turag River in Tongi. Read: Two Ijtema attendees die in Tongi road accident The Indian devotees were seen standing in queues of Benapole’s Immigration customs to return home in the early morning. Benapole Immigration police station’s Officer-in-Charge (investigation) Shafiq Ahmed said there are additional officers so that the devotees face no hassles during departure from Bangladesh. Read more: Two Ijtema attendees die in Tongi road accident

The Biswa Ijtema, billed as the second largest congregation of Muslims after the Hajj, will be held in two phases- February 2 to 4 and February 9 to 11 - this year. Ahead of this, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) and Gazipur Metropolitan Police (GMP) have jointly issued a traffic and car parking management directive to ease the pressure on the traffic system. The measures will be in effect for each of the three days in both phases.  A media release, issued from police headquarters on Wednesday morning, sought all-out cooperation to maintain order in traffic, avoid traffic jams and facilitate the movement of pilgrims. Parking Instructions Police declared a no-parking zone on the roads and its nearby areas from the Khilkhet-Abdullahpr-Dhaur bridge. Fixed Parking Zones Police fixed some points for parking of vehicles for the Muslim devotees who will attend the Ijtema. Dhaka Metropolitan Parking: Open spaces of Swadesh Property adjacent to 300 feet Road. Read: No threat of militant attack centering Biswa Ijtema: RAB DG Divisional Parking inside DMP areas: Dhaka and Chittagong Division Parking: Kadam Ali Market under Sector No. 15, Bridge No. 5 and Uludah Field in Sector No. 17. Sylhet and Khulna Division Parking:  Lakepar ground of Uttara Sector-15. Rajshahi, Rangpur and Mymensingh Division: West side of the lake of bridges 10 and 11, inside Sector No. 16 and Boubazar ground. Divisional Parking inside GMP areas: Mymensingh Division Parking: Chandana High School, Chowrasta, Gazipur. Vehicles coming from North Bengal and Tangail will park at  Bhawal Badre Alam College and Pubail University College. Government Vehicles: Telephone Industry Organization (TESIS) and Tongi Government College Ground. The drivers and helpers of the parked vehicles must stay with their vehicles. The devotees and the driver will keep each other's mobile numbers, so that they can communicate with each other in any emergency. The driver's mobile number must be visible in front of the vehicle. Read: Bangladesh Police set guidelines for Ijtema Diversion points only for the days of Akheri Munajat (concluding prayers) Feb 4 and Feb 11 Dhaur Bridge, Sector No. 18 Panchabati Crossing, Padma Loop, Sector No. 12 Khalpar, Mohakhali Crossing, Hotel Radisson Blu Crossing, Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway (World Road Nikunj-1 Katchi Gate), Kuratali Flyover Loop-2, Mohakhali Flyover West Side, Mirpur Diabari Bus Stand Crossing, Ashulia Bazar Crossing. Kamarpara Road from Mannu Gate will be shut from the starting day of Ijtema for both phases. Traffic movement will remain shut on the two-way road from Bhogra Bypass from Abdullahpur and from Mirer Bazar to Station Road from 10 pm on February 3 to 2 pm on Feb 4 and from 10 pm on February 10 to 2pm on Feb 11. Vehicles carrying VVIPs/VIPs/Foreign devotees participating in Bishwa Ijtema have been advised to use Tongi Flyover from BNS Tower and get off at Station Road and use Mannu Gate Kamarpara Road. All inter-district vehicles including buses, covered vans and other heavy vehicles will avoid the Abdullahpur, Dhaur Bridge intersection and move via Mohakhali-Bijaysarani-Gabatli from 4:00 am on Akheri Munajat day. Read: Drones, CCTV monitoring to ensure security at Bishwa Ijtema: Home Minister Transportation services will be provided for foreigners from Padma Loop and Kuratali Loop-2 to the airport under the management of Traffic Uttara Division on the day of Akheri Monajat. It is also requested to avoid Kawla/Airport exit of Dhaka Elevated Expressway on the day of Akheri Monajat. For any queries on traffic management, commuters have been asked to contact the below numbers. Dhaka Metropolitan Police: Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic-North)- 01320-043940, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic-North)- 01320-043941, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Traffic-North East Zone)- 01320-043952, Assistant Police Commissioner (Traffic-North West Zone)- 01320-043955, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Traffic-Airport Zone)- 01320-043958, Inspector of Police (Administration)- 01320-043973, TI (Abdullahpur)- 01320-043968, TI (Kamar Para) )- 01320-043971, TI (Dhaur Bridge)- 01320-043970, TI (Airport)- 01320-043962, Traffic Control Room- 01711-000990. Gazipur Metropolitan Police: Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic)- 01320-070991, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Traffic-North)- 01320-071004, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Traffic-South)- 01320-071277, Inspector of Police (City & Traffic) (Station Road)- 01320-071291, Ijtema Control Room (Hotline)- 01320-072999, Control Room, GMP- 01320-072998, Traffic Control Room- 01320-071298. Read more: Ekushey Boi Mela 2024: What security measures are in place?

There is no threat of militant attack centering the Biswa Ijtema, said M Khurshid Hossain, director general of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) on Wednesday. “There is no specific threat of militant attack centering the Biswa Ijtema and we are on alert,” he said. Bangladesh Police set guidelines for Ijtema RAB is ready to tackle any untoward situation at Ijtema venue and adjacent areas, said the Rab DG while talking to reporters after visiting the control room of RAB at Ijtema venue in Tongi. Alongside the other law enforcement agencies Rab will perform duties to ensure security of the devotees, he said. Drones, CCTV monitoring to ensure security at Bishwa Ijtema: Home Minister Besides, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun also visited the places designated for foreign devotees. Talking to reporters he said security measures have been taken to ensure smooth congregation of devotees at the Ijtema venue and there is no specific information about security threat from the intelligence team. Biswa Ijtema 2024: Preparation is going on in full swing CCTVs will be installed while patrol teams will keep patrolling through choppers, said the IGP. He said people can join Ijtema without any fear.

Measures have been taken to organise the upcoming Biswa Ijtema peacefully and safely, said Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, inspector general of police (IGP). The IGP said this while presiding over a meeting ahead of Biswa Ijtema at police headquarters in the city on Wednesday. Biswa Ijtema to be held in two phases; Feb 2 and Feb 9 next year The first phase of Biswa Ijtema will be held from February 2 to February 4 and the second phase from February 9 to February 11. Uniformed and plainclothes police will be deployed for the security of devotees including foreigners arriving at the Biswa Ijtema ground, The law enforcement forces will also ensure security through helicopters, watch towers, dog squads, bomb disposal units and CCTV cameras, he added. Second phase of Biswa Ijtema ends today with ‘Akheri Munajat' The government has taken all-out preparations to ensure the smooth holding of Biswa Ijtema in two phases. At that time, the IGP expressed his satisfaction with the overall security management taken by the two groups for the Ijtema. Bishwa Ijtema: Traffic movement to be halted on Abdullahpur, Bhogra, Kamarpara tomorrow morning The meeting was attended by senior police officers, representatives of various intelligence agencies, government offices and leaders from Tabligh.

The second phase of the three-day Biswa Ijtema, billed as the second largest congregation of Muslims after Hajj, began on the banks of the River Turag in Tongi Friday. This phase of the 56th edition of the Biswa Ijtema (World Congregation) started with the "a'm bayan" (general sermons) after Fajr prayers with the participation of a large number of devotees, including the followers of Indian preacher Maulana Muhammad Saad Al Kandhalvi. Read more: 2nd phase Bishwa Ijtema: Metro rail to operate from 8am-5pm on Jan 22 However, Maulana Saad is not attending this year's Ijtema. The sermons were delivered by Pakistani Islamic scholar Maulana Mohammad Osman and were translated into Bangla by Maulana Zia bin Qasim. Thousands of devotees from home and abroad thronged the banks of the Turag River to listen to scholars reciting and explaining verses from the Quran and to renew their commitment to Islamic values. In the afternoon, they offered Jumma prayers, led by Maulana Saad's son Yusuf bin Saad Kandhalvi, at the Ijtema ground. "Additional police personnel have been deployed in and around the Ijtema venue to ensure the security of the devotees. The venue has been brought under closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera surveillance," Gazipur Metropolitan Police (GMP) Commissioner Molla Nazrul Islam said. Health camps were set up for the devotees to provide them with treatment like the previous years. Read more: First phase of Bishwa Ijtema ends today with ‘Akheri Munajat’ However, a 75-year-old devotee from Barguna, Mofizul Islam, died at the Ijtema venue early Friday due to complications of old age. The three-day Biswa Ijtema will end on January 22 with Akheri Munajat (final prayers). Meanwhile, the metro rail service will run from 8am to 5pm on January 22 for the smooth movement of the devotees attending the second phase of the congregation. The first phase of the three-day Biswa Ijtema ended on January 15 with Akheri Munajat. Tabligh Jamaat has been organising the congregation in Tongi since 1967. In 2011, it divided Ijtema into two phases to accommodate a large number of attendees.

The second phase of three-day Biswa Ijtema, billed as the second largest congregation of Muslims after hajj, begins on the banks of the Turag River at Tongi on Friday. This phase of 56th edition of the Biswa Ijtema will begin through "a'm bayan" (general sermons) after Fazr prayers with the participation of a large number of devotees including the followers of Indian Islamic preacher Maulana Muhammad Saad Al Kandhalvi. Read more: 2nd phase Bishwa Ijtema: Metro rail to operate from 8am-5pm on Jan 22 Several thousand devotees are expected to offer Jum'a prayers, led by Maulana Saad’s son Yusuf bin Kandalvi, on the first day of the second phase Ijtema. Thousands of devotees from home and abroad have started thronging the banks of the Turag River to take part in the religious event to seek divine blessings of the Almighty Allah. State Minister for Religious Affairs Md Faridul Haque Khan inaugurated the Free Medical Camp of Hamdard Laboratories (Waqf) Bangladesh this noon (Thursday) to provide health services for the devotees. Additional police will be deployed in and around the Ijtema venue to ensure security of the devotees. The venue has been brought under CCTV surveillance, said Gazipur Metropolitan Police (GMP) Commissioner Molla Nazrul Islam. The three-day Biswa Ijtema will end on January 22 with Akheri Munajat (final prayers). Read more: First phase of Bishwa Ijtema ends today with ‘Akheri Munajat’ Meanwhile, metro rail in Dhaka will be operated from 8am to 5pm on January 22 for the smooth movement of the devotees attending the second phase of Bishwa Ijtema. The metro rail authority will extend their service hour to facilitate the devotees on the Akheri Munajat day, Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) (Public Relations) Nazmul Islam Bhuiyan told UNB on Thursday. The first phase of three-day Biswa Ijtema ended on January 15 with the Akheri Munajat. 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.

Gazipur Metropolitan Police (GMP) has issued some directives regarding traffic movement to reduce suffering of Biswa Ijtema devotees. Movements of vehicles on some roads in Gazipur will remain suspended for around six hours due to the ongoing Biswa Ijtema. GMP Commissioner Mollah Nazrul Islam disclosed this in a  press briefing at police control room set up at the Ijtema venue saying that the traffic movement has been rearranged as devotees from remote areas of the country will join the Akheri Munajat (final prayers) on Sunday morning. As part of the rationalized traffic system, movement of vehicles will remain suspended from 12am on Saturday till the Akheri Munajat (Sunday morning) from Tongi to Bhogra Bypass on Dhaka-Mymensingh highway, Khamarpara road, Abdullahpur to Bypile on Ashulia road, he said. Read more: Commuters asked to avoid airport road for BRT work till Saturday midnight The GMP commissioner requested people to use the bypass road to avoid traffic gridlock. The first phase of Biswa Ijtema started on Friday morning and it will end through the Akheri Munajat on Sunday morning.

The first phase of Bishwa Ijtema, one of the biggest congregations of Muslims in the world, in Tongi is continuing for the second day today (January 14, 2023) — drawing devotees in the lakhs. The three-day congregation began on the bank of the Turag river after Fajr prayers on Friday with sermons delivered by noted Islamic scholar Maulana Ziaul Haque of Pakistan. Several lakhs of Muslim devotees, both from home and abroad, are converging at the venue and attending the prayers — reciting the names of Allah and hearing the sermons. Also read: Biswa Ijtema: World's second-largest Muslim gathering begins Maulana Khurshidul Haque of Pakistan delivered sermons after Fajr prayers and Maulana Ibrahim Deula of India also delivered sermons in the morning. Maulana Iftar Zaman will deliver sermons in English. Devotees from different parts of the country are still coming to the Ijtema venue by buses, trucks, boats and on foot. Read More: Nagad sets up booth at Bishwa Ijtema The first phase of Ijtema will end tomorrow (Sunday, January 15, 2023) with Akheri Munajat (final prayers). Ijtema is being held in two phases from 2012 to ease accommodation issues. The second phase of Ijtema is scheduled to be held on January 20-22 at the same place. Meanwhile, six devotees died in separate incidents at the Ijtema venue on Thursday, Friday and today. Read More: 1st phase of Biswa Ijtema begins Friday A mass wedding ceremony will be held today at the ground after Asr prayers. Gazipur Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mollah Nazrul Islam said additional police personnel have been deployed in and around the Ijtema venue to ensure the security of the devotees. The venue has been brought under closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera surveillance. Besides, thousands of volunteers are working round the clock to make sure the event runs smoothly. Read More: Foolproof security measures taken ahead of Ijtema: IGP Several health centres have been set up at different parts of the venue along with beds and almost all first aid and other treatment facilities with doctors doing round-the-clock duties at each centre. Special measures have also been taken to ensure uninterrupted electricity during the three-day Ijtema. Tabligh Jamaat has been organising the congregation at the Tongi venue since 1967. In 2011, it divided Ijtema into two phases to accommodate a large number of attendees. Read More: Sylhet police asks Anjumane Hefazat-e-Islam to postpone their ijtema till after BNP’s rally