1m devotees gather for Islamic congress

Nearly a million scholars, clerics and pilgrims from home and abroad assembled at Tongi near capital Dhaka as Biswa Ijtema, the second largest Muslim congregation after the Haj, began yesterday amid tight security.

The three-day World Congre-gation of Islamic Preachers, organised by Tablig Jamaat, has been held on the banks of the Turag river in Tongi since 1960.

The 38th annual congregation will end with Akheri Munajat (eternal prayer) tomorrow. The organisers are expecting a turnout of around two million.

The gathering is dedicated to the tenets of Islam and promotes peace. "Islam is a religion of peace and brotherhood," said Akmal Hossain, an organiser. "We intend to spread this message".

About 10,000 foreign devotees from 72 countries are expected to attend. By yesterday, more than 2,500 devotees from India, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Kuwait, England, China, Thailand and Malaysia had arrived.

Bangladeshi leaders, including Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia and opposition leader Sheikh Hasina Wajed, are likely to join the prayers as in previous years, organisers said.

President Iajuddin Ahmed, Begum Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina greeted devotees and hoped the congregation would help strengthen unity, integrity and brotherhood among Muslims and play a significant role in establishing global peace and harmony.

The congregation is being held in advance this year since the Haj pilgrims will be starting their journey by the time the event is slated to take place in 2003.

Authorities have deployed massive security forces at the Ijtema venue in the wake of last week's bomb blasts at the Mymensingh cinemas and the consequent political debate over alleged Al Qaida involvement. But pleasant weather and expansion of the congregation infrastructure have led to participants flocking to the banks of the Turag.

Makeshift shops, hotels and restaurants have come up around the one-km area. Additional beds have been allocated at a nearby hospital to cope with emergencies. Nearly 40 medical teams are working round-the-clock and three temporary health camps have been set up.