An Indian cleric delivered a sermon in Hindi, marking beginning of second phase of Islamic missionary movement Tablig Jamaat's three-day Biswa Ijtema in Bangladesh, the world's second largest Muslim congregation after Hajj.
Indian cleric Mohammad Shamim delivered the religious sermon in Hindi after Fazr or early morning prayer on the bank of the Turag River in Gazipur on the outskirts of Dhaka.
Local cleric, Mawlana Nurur Rahman, then translated the sermon into Bangla for the masses, bdnews24.Com reported.
The final stage of the three-day Biswa Ijtema gathering will end with Ankheri Munajat (last prayer) on Sunday.
Tight security measures have been taken for the event while several thousand members of different law enforcement agencies will remain deployed in the area.
The first phase, held at the same venue over three days starting on January 13, was attended by devotees from 17 out of the 64 districts in Bangladesh. Devotees from 15 other districts are now joining the second phase.
Those from the remaining 32 district will attend the two-phase Ijtema next year.
The congregation was first organised at the Kakrail mosque in 1946.
As the number of participants increased, the congregation was eventually moved to the banks of Turag in Gazipur.
It is being held in two phases since 2011 to ease troubles of the accommodation problem.
In 2015, the organisers sketched out a four-phase Ijtema to be spread over two years for allowing participation by Muslims from the country's 64 districts.
Separate tin-roofed quarters have been set up for foreigners on the northwest part of the Ijtema ground.
Special rail service and buses have been introduced to facilitate the devotees.
Seven floating bridges have been placed by army engineers so that devotees can cross the Turag with ease.
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