Bishwa Ijtema

The Bishwa Ijtema (Bengali: Global Congregation) is an annual Muslim gathering in Tongi, Bangladesh, on the banks of the River Turag, on the outskirts of Dhaka. It is one of the world’s largest peaceful gatherings. The Ijtema is a three-day prayer gathering during which followers say daily prayers while listening to scholars recite and explain verses from the Quran. Millions of devotees lift their hands in front of Allah (God) and plead for world peace in the Akheri Munajat, or Concluding Supplication (Final Prayer), led by Maulana Zubair Ahmed. The Ijtema is seen as a show of Muslim togetherness, solidarity, mutual love, and respect, as well as a chance to reaffirm their commitment to Islamic ideals.

Because the Ijtema is non-political, it attracts people of all political stripes. It attracts believers from 150 different countries. The majority of its followers hail from Bangladesh, the world’s third-largest Muslim-majority nation.

History:

During the 1950s, the Bengali Tabhlighi Jamaat movement began in Dhaka, East Bengal. Chittagong (1954) and Narayanganj (1958) hosted the inaugural Ijtemas, which were followed by Ijtemas at the Ramna Race Course in Dhaka in 1960, 1962, and 1965. The government of East Pakistan permitted organisers to plan the event annually along the River Turag in 1967 due to an increase in the number of participants. Bangladesh’s government later allocated 160 acres.

Organisation:

The Bangladeshi branch of the Tablighi Jamaat, an orthodox Sunni outfit, is hosting the event in January.

The gathering takes place at Tongi, a northern suburb of Dhaka, and covers a five-square-kilometre area.

With the assistance of the Bangladeshi government, a large tent has been erected in the region. State-owned firms such as Biman Bangladesh Airlines, Bangladesh Railway, and Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation provide transportation (BRTC). The Bangladesh Armed Forces help by putting infrastructure in place. Despite the enormous number of devotees crammed into a small space, hygiene, cooking, and internal movement are largely unaffected. It is thought that this is achievable due to the believers’ minimalist approach. Devotees learn to let go of their own needs and appreciate the needs of others. Huge masses swell from the Ijtema site in Tongi towards the Dhaka metropolitan region during the Final Prayer. On this day, all schools and offices are closed.

Number of Devotees:

The event drew a total of 2 million people in 2001. The figure was 5 million in 2010.

The number of foreign worshippers is estimated to be between 20,000 and 50,000. They hail from the South Asian Subcontinent, Russia and Central Asia, Europe, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, North Africa, and the United States, among other places.

Overcrowding and Weather:

From 2010, the Ijtema was divided into two segments with a seven-day break due to increased overpopulation. Devotees from 32 Bangladeshi districts are allowed to participate in the first phase. The second phase welcomes devotees from the country’s remaining districts. In both phases, foreign devotees are permitted.

The Ijtema was separated into four portions in 2015 due to increased overpopulation. Devotees from 16 Bangladeshi areas are allowed to participate in the first phase. The second round lets devotees from another 16 Bangladeshi areas to participate. Next year, devotees from the country’s remaining 32 districts will join.

Due to rain and freezing weather in 2008, the event had to be shortened to only one day, resulting in the deaths of three guests.

Conclusion:

Bishwa Ijtema (sometimes written Vishwa Ijtema) is a Muslim congregation in Tongi, a northern neighbourhood of Bangladesh’s capital, Dhaka. The Tablighi Jamaat, a missionary organisation, is hosting the three-day event. The World Muslim Congregation is how English speakers refer to the event ( ijtema is Arabic for “public gathering”). It is one of the largest Muslim gatherings in the world, second only to the Hajj (Mecca Pilgrimage).

Muslims from Bangladesh and other countries have gathered on Tongi’s 190-acre site along the Turag River’s banks since 1966 to worship, discuss the Quran, and receive religious education from religious scholars. Over the years, the number of people who attend has grown, reaching an estimated three million in 2008. Thousands of devotees get aboard crowded boats and clamber to the tops of buildings to view the activities. Translations are available in English, Arabic, Urdu, and Bangla to fulfil the requirements of many believers.