Gamblers do brisk business in Ctg centering BPL matches
BCB has no legal power to take action: Akram
Sports Reporter, Ctg
The illegal betting business in and around the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium (ZACS) at the time of the ongoing BPL matches in Chittagong remained unabated as the incident of throwing gamblers out of the stadium is being happened on every match day. And it being occurred despite having the strict security net and surveillance of the government security entities along with Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) anti-corruption unit round the stadium and its surrounding areas.
More than 50 gamblers have been spotted from the galleries in the last five days of the BPL third phase in the port city. They all were driven out from the stadium with the help of the personnel of the law enforcing agencies.
It is learnt from the BCB sources that around 20 punters have been thrown out of the stadium for their betting activities on the very opening day of the third phase in Chittagong. Therefore, the member of the law-enforcement agencies detected 15 more abettors including foreigners in the different galleries of the stadium on the second day. Later they were got out of the stadium after grilling for a while.
On third day, BCB anti-corruption unit increased their secret surveillance with the pace of the police and other security entities and spotted 10 more gamblers. The undercover agents of the security personal caught red-handed another ring of the punters, who were also thrown out of the stadium. Some among them were foreigners especially Indian citizen.
BCB director Akram Khan acknowledged the matter of the brisk business of betting in the BPL, stating that they have no legal power to take stern action against this illegal betting trade and the racket of the gamblers.
A good number of suspected people has been spotted from the different galleries of the stadium. At this moment, I could not give you the exact number of them. But our anti-corruption unit and security agencies got the out of the stadium after interrogating for a while, said Akram Khan. Its really a matter of concern. Now it happens not only in cricket but also other discipline of the sports. Actually, it tarnished the image of the sports, he told in response to a query.
It has been scattered at the vast level. So, it will not be mitigated by formulating law only. So, we all should create awareness among the people and teach them about its bad impact through educational programme along with wage social movement to stop it. There is no option barring it at this moment, he added.
The area of the stadium lies under Pahartoli thana, whose officer-in-charge (OC), Rafiqul Islam told The Independent that there is no such incident of handing over gamblers to their thana yet.
We all know that the betting is being held centering the BPL in and around the stadium. A huge number of law-enforcing agencies personnel have been deployed there. The incident of the detention is being held. But the BPL authority is yet to hand over any of the abettor to us, Rafiqul Islam told The Independent by mobile phone.
Betting was earlier taken the center stage of concern while BCB director and BPL governing council member secretary Ismail Haider Mallick told that a total of 77 punters including 10 Indian and two Pakistani residents along with 65 local punters had been detained by the law-enforcing agencies and BCB Anti-Corruption unit from Dhaka phase.
Expressing their helplessness on the betting issue, Mallick said that they have nothing to do as it has scattered all the stratums of the country. Even there is no concrete law of the betting in BCB or in the country to punish this illegal trade-runner or stop this business.
