In a major clampdown on gamblers, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) on Wednesday raided at least six illegal casinos in Dhaka city and arrested an Awami Jubo League leader who allegedly ran one of those establishments.
During the raids, the elite force also seized around Tk40 lakh, gambling equipment and illegal liquor, among other items, from three of the casinos.
Many of these casinos were reportedly run by leaders of ruling party affiliate organizations, according to sources and locals.
More than 180 men and women, including casino staff and gamblers, were detained during the raids, after which mobile courts jailed them for different terms.
The first raid, conducted by a RAB 3 team, went down at a casino inside Fakirerpool Youngmen's Club in the capital’s Fakirapool area in the evening.
This casino was fully furnished with betting tables, slot machines, and roulette tables, where Dhaka Tribune correspondents saw large bundles of cash being counted and bottles of empty illegal liquor confiscated by RAB officials.
Club president and Jubo League’s Dhaka South unit Organizing Secretary Khalid Mahmud Bhuiyan was taken into custody around 8:40pm — hours after another RAB team cordoned off on Khalid’s home on Road 59 at Gulshan 2 in the afternoon.
RAB said Khalid was arrested with an illegal firearm, several rounds of bullets and yaba pills. Two more firearms he was in possession of were also seized as they breached the conditions mentioned in their licences to use them.
