Bangladesh Islamic festival over

About two million Muslims from more than 30 countries have taken part in closing prayers at the second largest Islamic gathering after the Haj - the festival of Biswa Ijtema in Bangladesh.

Pilgrims endured bitterly cold nights in a tented city on the banks of the Turag river near the capital, Dhaka to observe round-the-clock prayer sessions and hold discussions on Islam during the three-day festival.

Among those attending the closing prayers were the President of Bangladesh, Shahabuddin Ahmed, the Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina Wajed, and the opposition leader, Begum Khaleda Zia.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service