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Millions attend world’s second-largest Muslim gathering

More than two million Muslims from over 130 countries attended the annual Biswa Ijtema gathering in Bangladesh.

Muslim devotees attend Friday prayers in the streets near the congregation grounds. [Mahmud Hossain Opu/Al Jazeera]
Bishwa Ijtema is the second largest annual Islamic gathering in the world. [Mahmud Hossain Opu/Al Jazeera]
By Mahmud Hossain Opu
Published On 24 Jan 2018

Ghazipur, Bangladesh – More than two million people from over 130 countries have taken part in the second-largest Muslim gathering in the world.

The annual Biswa Ijtema (“world congregation”) event concluded on Sunday with a mass, collective prayer on the banks of the Turag River, about 35km from the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka.

Over the three-day gathering, Muslim worshippers listened to scholars reciting and explaining verses from the Quran. It is viewed as an opportunity for Muslims to renew their commitment to Islamic values.

Second in size only to Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Muslim holy sites in Saudi Arabia, Biswa Ijtema was first held in 1967.

It is organised by Tablighi Jamaat, a Sunni Muslim missionary movement that began in India and whose members volunteer to spread the Islamic faith.

Biswa Ijtema has been held in two phases since 2011 to accommodate the large number of attendees.

This year’s final prayer was given in Bengali, Bangladesh‘s official language, for the first time since 1980.

Bangladeshi Muslim devotees are performing the final prayer of "Bishwa Ijtema" Turag. [Mahmud Hossain Opu/Al Jazeera]
Crowds attended Friday prayers on the street near the congregation grounds. [Mahmud Hossain Opu/Al Jazeera]
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Muslim devotees carry their belongings as they arrive at the Biswa Ijtema Turag in Tongi. [Mahmud Hossain Opu/Al Jazeera]
Muslim devotees carried their belongings to the three-day event. [Mahmud Hossain Opu/Al Jazeera]
Muslim devotees carry their belongings as they arrive at the Biswa Ijtema Turag in Tongi. [Mahmud Hossain Opu/Al Jazeera]
Local authorities say people from 135 countries participated in this year's gathering. [Mahmud Hossain Opu/Al Jazeera]
Muslim devotees attending the World Congregation of Muslims, or Biswa Ijtema, crowd a temporary bridge on the banks of the River Turag in Tongi. [Mahmud Hossain Opu/Al Jazeera]
The event is held annually on the banks of the River Turag in Bangladesh. [Mahmud Hossain Opu/Al Jazeera]
Mohammad Anis Hossain(middle) with his friends prepare meals five times a day. “I am luck that I get a chance to serve my brothers with good food” said Mohammad. [Mahmud Hossain Opu/Al Jazeera]
Mohammad Anis Hossain (middle) cooked five meals a day for the congregants. "I am lucky that I get a chance to serve my brothers with good food," he said. [Mahmud Hossain Opu/Al Jazeera]
''I am a teacher in Madrasa and I cook every year at Bishwa Ijtema for my brothers. They love my cooking.'' said Ibrahim Yasin. [Mahmud Hossain Opu/Al Jazeera]
"I am a teacher in [a] madrasa [school] and I cook every year at Bishwa Ijtema for my brothers," said Ibrahim Yasin. [Mahmud Hossain Opu/Al Jazeera]
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Muslim devotees wash themselves before attending the Prayer Turag. [Mahmud Hossain Opu/Al Jazeera]
People performed wudu (ablution) before communal prayers. [Mahmud Hossain Opu/Al Jazeera]
A devotee cries as he prays during "Bishwa Ijtema", the world congregation of Muslims. [Mahmud Hossain Opu/Al Jazeera]
The gathering is considered to be a demonstration of Muslim unity, solidarity, mutual love and respect. [Mahmud Hossain Opu/Al Jazeera]
Devotees catching the train to go to the last prayer at Bishwa Ijtema. [Mahmud Hossain Opu/Al Jazeera]
People caught a train to attend the last prayer on Sunday. [Mahmud Hossain Opu/Al Jazeera]
Muslim devotees attend prayers in the streets near the congregation grounds at Turag. [Mahmud Hossain Opu/Al Jazeera]
The main gathering took place in an area spanning more than half a square kilometre. [Mahmud Hossain Opu/Al Jazeera]
Devotees pray together during "Bishwa Ijtema", the world congregation of Muslims, on the banks of the Turag river. [Mahmud Hossain Opu/Al Jazeera]
Biswa Ijtema was first held in 1967. [Mahmud Hossain Opu/Al Jazeera]
Devotees return home riding on an overcrowded Boat after attending the Akheri Munajat, concluding prayers on the third day. [Mahmud Hossain Opu/Al Jazeera]
People took overcrowded boats to return home after the concluding prayers. [Mahmud Hossain Opu/Al Jazeera]