No arrests made as there was none when illegal casinos in Dhaka’s sport clubs were busted

Police have busted casinos inside four sport clubs in Dhaka’s Motijheel, but could make no arrest as the gamblers appear unwilling to bet on their fate after the crackdown started last week.

Liton Haiderand Kamal Talukderbdnews24.com
Published : 22 Sept 2019, 07:13 PM
Updated : 22 Sept 2019, 08:04 PM

The law enforcers and locals said after the raids on Sunday that the gamblers had been staying away from the clubs since the drives on two nearby clubs four days ago.

The Rapid Action Battalion or RAB arrested over 150 people in similar raids on Young Men’s Club and Wanderers Club last Wednesday. It also arrested Young Men’s Club President Khaled Mahmud Bhuiyan, who was later expelled from the Jubo League.

As the crackdown continued, police raided Mohammedan Sporting Club, Arambagh Krira Sangha, Dilkusha Sporting Club, and Victoria Sporting Club at Motijheel on Sunday.

The clubs and surrounding areas would remain packed overnight because of the casinos, but silence gripped these after the crackdown started.

“No one is there in the club. Police will get none,” Aleya Begum, who supplies water to the tea stalls on the streets near the clubs, said as they were heading towards Victoria Club after raiding the others.

Local businesses were not best pleased about the raids.

“Business is not so good now. We don’t get customers in the night,” Shanta Biriyani House proprietor Mizanur Rahman told bdnews24.com.

Workers of Saddam Store, Mayer Doa Restaurant and other shops also said no one was visiting the clubs since last Wednesday.

Foods left in the clubs’ kitchens started to rot, spreading malodour.

“The workers have also fled,” Dhaka Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner for Motijheel Zone Mishu Biswas said.

Asked how the clubs were running illegal casinos despite police patrol in the night, DMP Deputy Commissioner Anwar Hossain dodged a direct response.

“We raided the clubs immediately when we received information on the casinos," he said.

WHIP SHAMSUL IRKED

Parliament Whip Shamsul Hoque Chowdhury, who is the secretary general of Chittagong Abahani as well, has expressed ire over the raids on the clubs in the port city.

The RAB said it found gambling equipment in Mohammedan Sporting Club in Sadarghat area, Abahani Limited at Halishahar, and Muktijoddha Sangsad KC on Ice Factory Road on Saturday.

Only packets of playing cards were found in Abahani club, Shamsul claimed.

“There is no casino, gambling or liquor in my club. As secretary general of the club, I think it (the raid) has defamed me,” he said.

He asked why the law enforcers did not raid Chittagong Club, Seniors Club and Officers’ Club where people also play card games.

“Card games are played at your, the journalists’, Press Club. Is it gambling?” an irked Shamsul asked.

“Members will leave the clubs if raids are conducted in this way,” he added.

Like Shamsul, Chittagong Mohammedan General Secretary Syed Shahabuddin Shamim said allowing the members to play card games is a source of income of the clubs as they pay for it.

Shamim, who is also general secretary of Bangladesh Chess Federation, said: “The way the administration is calling card games illegal and gambling is belittling us. We are irked.”

“We are also panicked as sports will stop if it continues,” he added.