The Way Back Home

The Bishwa Ijtema (Meaning Global Congregation) is an annual gathering of Muslims in Tongi of Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is one of the largest peaceful gatherings in the world. In the ‘Final Prayer’ millions of devotees raise their hands in front of Allah (God) & pray for world peace. The Ijtema is considered a demonstration of Muslim unity, solidarity, mutual love, respect. The Ijtema is non-political & therefore it draws people of all persuasion. After the end of Final prayer, in that time, most of the People start their journey to go back their home. So, at that time, when everybody starts to leave Bishwa Ijtema after the final prayer at the same time, even though there are sufficient transport facilities but it is not possible to provide transportation facilities to everyone because of the huge crowd which is more than millions. So, that’s why the demand for trains is high then. Overcrowded trains filled with Muslim devotees leave Dhaka on the final day of the Biswa Ijtema. Thousands of people left the celebration on the last day as trains tried to find a safe exit from the area. So, most of the people must wait for their transport out of Dhaka as the lucky ones do what they can to squeeze onto a train pulling out. So, that’s why the Visitors to Bishwa Ijtema seem more focused on their journey to go back their home rather than their safety as they cling onto a train leaving Dhaka. There is a risk to travel like this but after the end of the prayer to return home with everyone (known or unknown) like this, there is a tranquility in returning home what is just can’t be described in words or sentences.
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