The first phase of the second largest annual Muslim congregation, after Haj, ended in Bangladesh on Sunday afternoon with millions of devotees from home and abroad praying to Allah for global peace, prosperity and fraternal harmony in the ‘Akheri Munajat’ or concluding prayer. The congregation venue and its adjoining areas reverberated with the word ‘’Amin” repeatedly uttered by devotees raising their hands together in the prayer. The grand prayer, led by renowned Islamic scholar Zobayerul Hasan from India, at the congregation known as Biswa Ijtema on the bank of the Turag river at Tongi, some 25 km north of Dhaka, also sought divine blessings and welfare of all mankind. The first phase of Bishwa Ijtema began on Friday after morning prayers with religious sermons for the devotees, seeking world peace for the Muslim ummah. A large number of pilgrims from over 100 countries including Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Fiji, Finland, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kuwait, Kenya, the Maldives, Malaysia, Russia, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Sri Lanka, USA, UK and Yemen attended the first phase of the congregation.