<div><span style="font-size: 1rem;">Bishwa Ijtema, billed as the second largest congregation of Muslims after Hajj, will be held in two phases from January 13 next year, said Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal on Thursday.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The first phase of the Ijtema will be held from January 13 to 15 and the second phase from January 20 to 22, the minister told reporters at the secretariat.</div><div><br></div><div>After discussion with the groups of Tabligh Jamaat, it has been decided that Maulana Zubair Hassan group's Ijtema will be held in the first phase and Maulana Wasekh group's in the second phase, said Kamal.</div><div><br></div><div>The Home Minister said Biswa Ijtema was not held in the last two years due to the Covid pandemic, reports UNB.</div><div><br></div><div>The Prime Minister has instructed to arrange it on a limited scale next year, he told.</div><div><br></div><div>“There were controversies over Ijtema among groups and these are continuing. I sought suggestions from the groups. I proposed them to arrange it like the previous time and they accepted,” he added.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>