Gazipur: The three-day second phase of Biswa Ijtema, one of the largest Muslim congregations in the world, will begin on Friday on the bank of river Turag at Tongi on the outskirts of the capital Dhaka.

Members from different law enforcement agencies have been deployed in and around the Ijtema ground for ensuring security of the devotees.

The three-day second phase will begin after the first phase of the Biswa Ijtema. The first phase started on January 13 and ended on January 15.

The second phase of the Ijtema will end through 'Akheri Munajat' on January 22 (Sunday).

Gazipur district administration and other relevant authorities completed all preparations for the Ijtema.

Thousands of devotees from home and abroad started congregating on the bank of the Turag River to take part in the religious event to seek divine blessings of the Almighty Allah.

Tablig Jamaat has been organising the Ijtema at the venue since 1967. Now, Ijtema is held in two phases since 2011 to ease the accommodation problem.

Several health centres have been set up at different parts of the venue along with beds and almost all first aid and other treatment facilities with doctors doing round-the-clock duty at each centre.

Special measures have also been taken to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply during the three-day Ijtema.