January 24, 2010
Some 4 million Muslims took part in a mass prayer in Bangladesh on Sunday, the final day of an annual three-day event that is among the world's largest religious gatherings.
Tens of thousands walked overnight to reach the site of the World Congregation of Muslims, or Biswa Ijtema, with authorities closing access to the grounds to traffic until the final prayer was concluded Sunday afternoon. The gathering, held each year since 1966, aims to revive the tenets of Islam and promote peace through prayer.
Biswa Ijtema, which shuns politics, has no history of violence, but security was tight, with watchtowers and security cameras installed around the 190-acre (77-hectare) grounds in the industrial town of Tongi.
With nearly 20,000 security personnel keeping guard, President Zillur Rahman, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and opposition leader Khaleda Zia attended the final prayer on the sandy banks of the River Turag, just north of the capital, Dhaka.
Many devotees were overwhelmed by the gathering.
"It's a sea of people," Mohammad Ramzan, a college student, told The Associated Press by phone from the scene. "This is huge. This is difficult to explain."
A police official, Mizanur Rahman, estimated the final day's crowd at 4 million. About 87 percent of Bangladesh's 150 million people are Muslim.
In addition to Bangladeshis, the gathering also attracted several thousands of foreigners from countries including the United States, Canada, India, Indonesia and Britain.
During the three days, participants discussed the Quran and listened to sermons by Islamic scholars from around the world.
Women are not allowed at the main venue, so instead gathered at nearby villages and stood on rooftops during the concluding prayer.
http://www.etaiwannews.com/etn/news_content.php?id=1163581&lang=eng_news
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5:07 AM
Moderate Islamist here
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