By Ahmed Faruque Hassan, IOL Bangladesh Correspondent

DHAKA, December 11 (IslamOnline) - All preparations have been set to hold December 13 Biswa Ijtema, or the world congregation of Islamic preachers - the second largest Muslim congregation after Hajj.

Led by Islamic preachers, devotees from across Bangladesh and thousands of others from countries including India, Pakistan, Sudan and Indonesia are assembling for the three-day Ijtema.

"Our organization is devoted to spreading the messages of Islam and Prophet Muhammad [Allah’s peace and prayers be upon him]. We have nothing to do with politics," said a Bangladeshi cleric.

The gathering is dedicated to teaching the tenets of Islam and practicing peace and harmony. An annual event at the site along the river Turag near Dhaka since 1966, it is sponsored by Tablig Jamaat, an organization of Muslim preachers based in New Delhi, India.

Tablig Jamaat’s followers, including farmers and university teachers, take weeks off each year to travel through cities and villages to preach Islam.

Tablig Jamaat originated in India in the 1950s. Followers of the Sunni group which organizes the Ijtema, believe in spreading the word of God without using modern media or technology.

"We convey the message as it was done by the prophets or as it was done when there was no radio and no television. None of these media [means], you know.

"And we still do not want to use these media [means] and stuff and stay in such a way that we do not have to rely on external things," explained one follower.

The Jamaat Tablig, believes in a return to what its members call the sources of Islam. their own fasting, but it is equally their responsibility to invite the rest of mankind into this way of life.

Most Tablig members are Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi, but the Ijtema now attracts believers from the Middle East, Turkey, and from as far afield as Japan, western Europe and north America.

The purpose of the gathering is to remind Muslims of their responsibilities, and to encourage them to spread Islam.

The event's rituals include readings from the Koran, hymns and sermons by Islamic scholars, and daily mass prayers relayed by hundreds of microphones throughout the area.

Organizers, the Tablig Jamaat movement, was specifically launched to encourage Muslims to practice Islam in everyday life.

In the early 1960s the Ijtema was moved to Kakraeel mosque in Dhaka, then the capital of Bangladesh's forerunner East Pakistan.

It was relocated to open land north of the city owned by the government as numbers of participants grew. A list with the names of Sunni scholars who may take part is yet to be finalized.

After visiting the Ijtema premises, it was found that the tin-shed pandles for the foreign pilgrims have been set up and work for gas connection was progressing fast. Members of the army were also seen completing the setting up of the bailey bridges in all connecting roads and over Turag river.

The last meeting on the preparation of the Biswa Ijtema was held Wednesday, December 11. Industries Minister and the official in charge of Gazipur district MK Anwar chaired it and expressed satisfaction with the progress of the work.

The meeting was informed that Bangladesh Railway authority has arranged special trains till December 14 to ensure undisrupted movement of the pilgrims to the Ijtema venue from different parts of the country.

Besides, extra compartments will also be attached with the regular trains, which will stop at Tongi station. BR authority will also keep 21 standby trains on the day of Akheri Munajat to ensure a safe return of the attending devotees. These trains will depart every half-an-hour after the Akheri Munajat.

Government has, meanwhile, increased the number of hospital beds by 30 in Tongi Hospital to ensure the treatment of the sick devotees.

Besides, 37 medical teams of different government and non-governmental organizations will also work round-the-clock to provide health services to the devotees. Three temporary health camps have been set up and 32 ambulances, 10 sanitation teams, fire extinguishing system, gas and power service with five generators arranged for the occasion.

Measures have also been taken to let the people of nearby Ashulia, Uttara, Airport area to listen the "Boyans" (sermon) and "Munajat" from the Ijtema ground. Moreover, adjoining areas of the Ijtema premises have been evacuated and facilities at the Tongi station increased.

About 8-10 police control rooms will also be set up to maintain law and order as well as ease the traffic jam.

Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of people from home and abroad are expected to gather for the three-day congregation where Akheri Munajat will be held December 15 at 11am. The congregation is the second this year, the first having been held in January.

The Ijtema usually starts on a Saturday and ends on a Monday after Akheri Munajat. But the organizers said that due to observance of Victory Day Monday, December 9, the timing of the Biswa Ijtema has been rescheduled to start Friday, December 13.

A large number of volunteers of Tablig have been working day and night over the one kilometer area since the holy fasting month of Ramadan to make the congregation a grand success. More devoted workers of Tablig Jamaat were also coming to the Ijtema premises after the observance of Eid-ul-Fitr to extend their helping hands for the completion of work.

Amid reports that some international terrorist groups are hatching conspiracy to foil the upcoming Biswa Ijtema, authorities have tightened the security at Tongi. Informed sources said that the hartal call just a day before the Ijtema is seen by the religious people as a deliberate attempt to hurt the feeling of the devotees and pious people and frustrate the Ijtema. People arriving at the Ijtema considered the hartal call with grave apprehension.

Red alert has already been declared over Gazipur, Md. Shahab Ullah, Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Gazipur district told IslamOnline. However, the government will not directly intervene in maintaining the security inside the pandal, which will be the responsibility of the Musallis themselves. This has been done in view of the tradition under which the organizers of the Ijtema ensure such security relying mostly on the Mercy of Allah.

However, to avoid any untoward incident, he said, preparation has already been made to ensure strong security in and around the Ijtema field. While underlining the reason for undertaking the step, he cited Mymensingh bomb blasts in which some 18 people died on Saturday last. DGFI, NSI and detective branch of police will check the musullis by metal detectors to be set up at different points to the area. Police and Ansar have already been deployed in the sensitive places in the district, he added.

The question of security has become strong after the bomb blasts and discovery of series of bombs in mosques, which appear to have been done to create panic among the Muslims.

Gazipur police superintendent Yasmin Gafur told IslamOnline that all measures have been taken and the strength of police forces has also been increased compared to last year.