Bishwa Ijtema is held in two phases with the first phase beginning on Friday January 12 and ending on Sunday January 14.
Then after a four day break, the second phase will begin on Friday January 19 and end on Sunday January 21 on the banks of the river Turag.
In 2016 around two million people attended the festival which is held on the banks of the Turag river near Dhaka in Bangladesh.
The main gathering point is about 3km north of Dhaka International Airport.
It is the second largest congregation of Muslims after the Hajj pilgrimage and was attended by five million people in 2010.
vCard.red is a free platform for creating a mobile-friendly digital business cards. You can easily create a vCard and generate a QR code for it, allowing others to scan and save your contact details instantly.
The platform allows you to display contact information, social media links, services, and products all in one shareable link. Optional features include appointment scheduling, WhatsApp-based storefronts, media galleries, and custom design options.
Bishwa Ijtema is a gathering that focuses solely on prayer and meditation and is not open for political discussions.
The direct translation of Bishwa Ijtema is “world congregation” and it draws in Muslims from up to 150 countries.
The festival is focused on interpreting the true meaning of the Qur’an and it is well known for being a non-political and peaceful celebration.
The main congregation takes place on a plot of land which is no bigger than 160 acres where Muslims camp for three days, gathering to pray and receive blessings from Allah.
Accommodation is basic at the festival, as Muslims attend to focus on religion and prayer and not on the living arrangements.
Muslims participate in the opening “Ambayan” (general sermon), Fazar prayers and end on the third day with “Akheri Munajat” (final prayer).
The festival is peaceful as it is non-political, however security has been tightened in the run up to the festival, local media reports.
Around 7,000 police officers and 250 members of elite officers will be deployed alongside bomb disposal units and dogs squads, owing to Bangladesh’s tenuous security status.
The US Embassy in Bangladesh issued a statement on Thursday: “US citizens are reminded to exercise vigilance when they are in the vicinity of large gatherings as demonstrations can occur with little warning.”
In 2016, to deal with overcrowding at the festival, Ijtema was held in four phases.
Bangladeshi residents from 33 districts attended the first two phases in 2016, while residents of the remaining 32 districts attended the festival in 2017. However, foreigners were allowed to participate in any of the phases.
It is believed the first Bishwa Ijtema was held in 1949 as a congregation for Tablighi Jamaal or TJ, Muslims. The TJ movement is a branch of Sunni Islam which started in 1927.
The festival provides many with the opportunity to study the Qur’an and listen to various sermons and allows Muslims to concentrate on their religion and explore aspects of it they are not familiar with.