The anti-Saad faction of Tablig Jamaat started the Biswa Ijtema a day early than they were supposed to.
The Hifazat-e Islam followers started the congregation on Thursday (Feb 14) after Fajr even though it’s supposed to on Friday (Feb 15) as per the government’s directives.
The two Tablig Jamaat factions have been at loggerheads until the government intervened and set two separate Ijtemas for them to prevent further unrest.
Moulana Abdul Matin started the congregation for the anti-Saad faction with a sermon.
“Many people from all across the country have arrived,” Ibn Muslim, the anti-Saad faction in-charge, told Bangla Tribune.
He added that Moulana Ziaul Hoque and Moulana Obaidullah Khurshid have already reached the venue.
Despite, many efforts on the government’s part, the two factions could not be convinced to hold the Ijtema together.
The religious affairs minister met with delegation of the two factions on Feb 5 and a decision was reached that the congregation would be held four days — two days apiece for each faction.
However, each faction decided to extend their congregations for a day each, making it a three-day affair.
The Saad adherents will hold their congregation from Feb 17 and it will end on Feb 19.
Meanwhile, the Hifazat chief Shah Ahmed Shafi-backed faction will end their congregation on Feb 16 after Maghrib prayers.