The government has planned stringent security measures ahead of the Biswa Ijtema, the second largest congregation of Muslim community after Hajj, scheduled to be held from Feb 15 to 18 on the bank of the river Turag.

“To ensure security of the foreign devotees arriving at the Ijtema ground, the government has chalked out full-proof security measures in and around the Ijtema ground. Various law enforcement agencies including Police, RAB, BGB and Ansar will remain deployed at the venue,” BSS quoted State Minister for Religious Affairs Advocate Sheikh Md Abdullah.

His comments came following a meeting with Tabligh Jamaat at his office on Saturday (Feb 9).

Regarding the conflict between two factions of the Tabligh Jamaat, the state minister said, “Necessary measures will be taken to avoid any untoward incident between the two Tabligh Jamaat factions.”

To ensure peaceful and congenial atmosphere at the Ijtema ground, the government has taken all-out measures, he added.

This time, the work on the ground for smooth holding of the congregation will be done under the supervision of Gazipur City Corporation Mayor Mohammad Jahangir Alam and State Minister for Youth and Sports Zahid Ahsan Russell, Abdullah said.

Maulana Zubair Hassan, who leads one of the factions, will supervise the first two days of the Ijtema, and Syed Wasiful Islam, who leads the other group that follows Indian preacher Maulana Saad Kandhalvi, will lead the last two days.