18 devotees die during first phase of Ijtema

A total of 18 devotees died from Friday morning to Saturday noon during the first phase of Bishwa Ijtema held beside the Turag River in Tongi of Gazipur district.

The four devotees who died on Saturday were identified as: M. Sanowar of Rajbari Pangsha thana, M. Alam from Chattogram's Anowara thana, M. Shahnewaz Bhuiyan of Narsingdi district and Al Mahmud from Sirajganj.

Health officials at the Ijtema control room attributed their deaths to sudden illness, heart attack and old-age complications.

The other deceased devotees were identified as: Nowsher Ali, 65, of Sherpur, Abdul Kader, 55, and Shah Alam, 60, from Bhola, Sadheen Ahmed, 45, Abdus Sattar, 70 and Ekhlas Mia, 68, from Netrokona, Motiur Rahman, 60 of Jamalpur, Yunus Mia, 60, of Brahmanbaria, Jaman Mia, 40 of Chapainawabganj.

Police official Hasan-uz Zaman, 30, died while performing his duty as a speeding passenger bus ran over him.

However, the identities of four more deceased devotees were not known yet.

Tongi Bishwa Ijtema Organizing Committee Member and Media Coordinator Habibullah Raihan confirmed BSS saying that the bodies were handed over to family members after namaz-e-janazas were held at Tongi Ijtema Maidan.

The first phase of the 58th Bishwa Ijtema, one of the largest global Muslim gatherings, concluded Sunday with continued spiritual activities, including the recitation from the holy Quran, zikar, and delivering Islamic sermons.

/KN/