Dhaka Club and Gulshan Club on Monday filed two separate petitions with the Supreme Court seeking a stay on the High Court verdict that asked the government to stop games involving cards, roll of the dice or luck across the country including clubs. After holding a brief hearing on Monday, Chamber Judge of the Appellate Division of the SC Justice Hasan Foez Siddique sent the petitions to its full bench and fixed February 23 for their hearing. Barrister Rokanuddin Mahmud and Barrister Fida M Kamal appeared on behalf of the two clubs that
sought stay from the SC on the HC verdict. Following a writ petition, the HC on February 10 declared gambling in any form, involving cards, roll of the dice or luck and through games like bingo a criminal offence and ordered the government to stop these nationwide. These games depend on luck or chance and not on competence, and therefore are banned by the law, the HC observed. The HC also ordered the law enforcers to immediately seize any kind of equipment used for gambling and to take action against people who gamble or organise gambling. Following the same petition, the HC on December 5, 2016, directed the government to immediately stop gambling at 13 clubs. The clubs are Dhaka Club Ltd, Uttara Club Ltd, Gulshan Club Ltd, Dhanmondi Club Ltd, Banani Club Ltd, Officers’ Club Dhaka, Ladies’ Club Dhaka, Cadet College Club Dhaka, Chittagong Club Ltd, Chittagong Seniors’ Club Ltd, Narayanganj Club Ltd, Sylhet Club Ltd, and Khulna Club Ltd. The HC had also issued a rule asking the authorities concerned to explain as to why they should not be directed to take actions against the unlawful businesses. Redowan Ahmed Runjid appeared for the writ petitioners.
