It all started with a buzz — raiding well-known sporting clubs only to discover the running of gambling and illegal casino business where ruling party leaders were at the helm. Although the month-long drive largely contained sporting club-based gambling, online gambling continues, dodging the law enforcers’ eyes. Though government high-ups repeatedly hinted that the drive would continue, it apparently lost steam after a series of raids that saw the arrests of over 250 people, including several leaders of different affiliated bodies of the ruling party. There have been no such drives since November 1, 2019.
In May, an Anti-Terrorism Unit held four members of a gang on the charge of smuggling money using a social media gambling app called StreamKar. Using various apps and sites, online gambling continues. Law enforcers said crores of taka are being siphoned off through online gambling. During the drive against the casino business, around 30 operations were conducted at 22 places. Names of several patrons came out in media reports, but no legal action has yet been taken against them. A huge quantity of gambling equipment, liquor, 22 firearms, Tk 8.45 crore in cash, FDR worth Tk 166.27 crore, gold ornaments weighing around eight kg were seized in the drives. Besides, Rab mobile courts fined or sentenced 204 others to different terms of imprisonment.
The Rab raids brought to light how a group of political leaders in alliance with some sports organisers turned renowned sporting clubs in the capital into lavish establishments to run casino businesses round the clock. Rab, Criminal Investigation Department and Anti-Corruption Commission officials filed 58 cases against 15 people. Rab investigated 10 of the cases and submitted charge sheets in nine of those. We are anxious about the dilly dally in setting the cases. As online gambling has become more of a concern and requires technical knowledge to tackle, cyber units of the law enforcement agencies should be more vigilant. The government should work in collaboration with intelligence agencies and tech companies to make the digital world secure for all.
