Bishwa Ijtema
23.8914722°N 90.3968637°E The Bishwa Ijtema (Bengali: বিশ্ব ইজতেমা, meaning Global Congregation) is an annual gathering of Muslims in Tongi, by the banks of the River Turag, in the outskirts of Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is one of the largest peaceful gatherings in the world. The Ijtema is a prayer meeting spread over three days, during which attending devotees perform daily prayers while listening to scholars reciting and explaining verses from the Quran. It culminates in the Akheri Munajat, or the Concluding Supplication (Final Prayer), in which millions of devotees raise their hands in front of Allah (God in Arabic) and pray for world peace.[1][2] The Ijtema is considered a demonstration of Muslim unity, solidarity, mutual love and respect and an opportunity to reiterate their commitment to Islamic values.[3] It's the biggest festival by population in Bengali culture.
 The huge Ijtema tent on the banks of the River Turag near Dhaka | |
| Native name | বিশ্ব ইজতেমা |
|---|---|
| English name | World Conference or Congregation |
| Date | 1949 to present |
| Venue | Tongi Ijtema Ground, Bangladesh |
| Location | Mostly the places where easy transport and large area is available |
| Also known as | Tablighi Ijtema تبلیغی اجتماع Aalmi Ijtema عالمی اجتماع (If organised worldwide) |
| Cause | To aggress the followers of Tablighi Jamaat annually; Islamic revivalism |
| Budget | Generally depends upon the collection |
| Patron(s) | Muhammad Ilyas Kandhlawi |
| Organised by | Tablighi Jamaat and other associated muslim organisations and madrassahs |
| Islam in Bangladesh |
|---|
 |
The Ijtema is non-political and therefore it draws people of all persuasions. It is attended by devotees from 150 countries.[4] The majority of its devotees come from across Bangladesh, the world's third largest Muslim majority country.
Speakers include Islamic scholars from various countries. Bishwa Ijtema is now the second largest Islamic gatherings with 5 million adherents,[4] after the Arba'een Pilgrimage (15-20 Million attendees),[5] surpassing the 2-3 million worshipers that perform the Hajj in Saudi Arabia (which is one of the five pillars of Islam for Muslims). The Bangladeshi Ijtema is a modern event where Muslim participation is voluntary.[6][4][1][7][8]
Etymology
Ijtema is an Arabic word which means 'public gathering'[3] or 'conference'
In Bengali, the event is known as the বিশ্ব ইজতেমা Bishwa Ijtema. Bishwa is a Bengali word which means 'world' and Ijtema means 'conference'.
Organization
The event is organized in January by the Bangladeshi branch of the Tablighi Jamaat, a Deobandi movement.
The congregation takes place in an area which spans over five square kilometers in Tongi, an outer suburb north of Dhaka.[3] An extensive tent is created in the area with the help of the Government of Bangladesh. Transport is provided by state-run companies, including Biman Bangladesh Airlines, the Bangladesh Railway and the Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC). The Bangladesh Armed Forces assists by arranging infrastructure. Despite the large number of devotees living within a confined space, generally there are very few problems of sanitation, cooking, and internal movements. It is believed to be possible because of the minimalist approach adopted by the devotees. Devotees reduce their own requirements and develop a respect for others' requirements. During the Final Prayer, huge crowds stretch from the Ijtema ground in Tongi into the Dhaka metropolitan area. Schools and offices are declared closed on the occasion.
History
The Bengali Tabhlighi Jamaat movement started in Dhaka, East Bengal during the 1950s. The first Ijtemas were organized in Chittagong (1954) and Narayanganj (1958), followed by Ijtemas at the Ramna Race Course in Dhaka in 1960, 1962 and 1965. Due to the increasing rate of participants, the government of East Pakistan allowed organizers to schedule the event annually by the River Turag in 1967.[3] Later, the government of Bangladesh allotted 160 acres
Number of devotees
In 2001, the number of attendees was 2 million.[3] In 2010, the number was 5 million.[4]
Foreign devotees
Estimates of foreign devotees stand at 20,000–50,000. They come from various regions, including the South Asian Subcontinent, Russia and Central Asia, Europe, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, North Africa and the United States.[9][3]
Overcrowding and weather
Due to increasing overcrowding, the Ijtema was divided into two segments with an interval of seven days from 2010.[3] The first phase is allowed for devotees from 32 designated Bangladeshi districts. The second phase allows devotees from the remaining districts of the country.[3] Foreign devotees are allowed in both phases.
Due to increasing overcrowding, the Ijtema was divided into four segments from 2015. The first phase is allowed for devotees from 16 designated Bangladeshi districts. The second phase allows devotees from another 16 designated Bangladeshi districts. Devotees from the remaining 32 districts of the countrywill join next year.
In 2008, the event had to be cut short to only one day due to rain and cold weather which left three attendees dead.[10]
Gallery
Devotees in the Dhaka metropolitan area
Devotees at a Dhaka railway station
Devotees on the Bangladesh Railway
See also
References
- "Muslims attend Bangladesh prayer". BBC News. 5 December 2004.
- "Akheri Munajat ends seeking world peace". The Daily Star. 10 January 2016.
- "Viswa Ijtema". Banglapedia.
- Lemos, Eirini (7 January 2016). "What is the festival of Bishwa Ijtema and where is it held?". The Telegraph.
- "Free at last from Isis, millions of Muslims stage the greatest religious march in the world". The Independent. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
- "Two million Muslims begin Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca". BBC News.
- "Muslims condemn Paris massacre at Bangladesh's mini-Hajj". The Economic Times. Agence France-Presse. 9 January 2015. Archived from the original on 17 February 2017. Retrieved 16 February 2017.
- "Bangladesh Muslim festival ends". BBC News. 8 January 2001.
- "Millions of Muslims gather in Bangladesh". Reuters. 2 February 2007.
- Sarkar, Kailash (26 January 2008). "Ijtema cut short for inclement weather". The Daily Star.