The last train of world ijtema.

This image captures a moment during Bishwa/ world Ijtema, the world’s second-largest Muslim congregation, held annually in Tongi, near Dhaka, Bangladesh. After a pause due to COVID-19, the event resumed in 2023, drawing a record number of participants along the banks of the Turag River and Tongi station. Over two million devotees attended, including more than 6,000 international visitors from 66 countries. To accommodate the surge, Bangladesh Railway operated 21 special trains, though it still fell short of meeting the overwhelming demand. As the final prayer concluded, waves of people moved toward the station. Amidst this powerful rush, I captured an image that felt as though spirits were rising—figures dissolving into light and motion—conveying a profound sense of collective spiritual energy within the station.