BCB to set up mobile court to bring bettors under law
Sports Reporter
Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), the apex body of the countrys cricket, decided to set mobile court keeping the upcoming tri-nation and bilateral home series in mind so that they could easily detect the bettors and bring them under the countrys law.
The board held an inter-ministerial meeting, whereby they all took the decisive decision in tandem to contain the heinous crime in sports especially in cricket.
BCB chief executive Nizamuddin Chowdhury Shujan disclosed all at a press conference related to the title sponsor of the forthcoming tri-nation series at the media block of the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium (SBNCS) in Mirpur yesterday.
Rocket, a mobile banking service of Dutch-Bangla Bank Limited, once again roped in the rights of the sponsorship of the Bangladesh-Sri Lanka- Zimbabwe ODI series.
Weve taken some additional measures surrounding the upcoming back-to-back home series. The administrative matters meanwhile have been completed. An inter-ministerial meeting has been held in this regard, said Nizamuddin Chowdhury.
Those who are in charge of security issues including Bangladesh Police, Dhaka Metropolitan Police, Chittagong Metropolitan Police and Sylhet Metropolitan Police alongside other government entities meanwhile held their meeting among themselves. The necessary directives have been given to the administrators of Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet. They will be given magistracy power in every venue, Nizamuddin told media.
Apart from that, the government has planning to set up mobile court and that the direction in this regard has been given. After holding a meeting with our BCB high-ups, DMP commissioner has given direction to the police administration to cooperate in this regard, he added.
The betting surrounding the countrys growing cricket turned to be a serious headache of the BCB because overall around 200 bettors including local and foreign nationals had been detected at the time of the recently concluded Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), which was held into four legs: Sylhet-Dhaka-Chittagong-Dhaka. But it didnt possible to bring and punish them under the existing law after detecting them as there is no specific law against betting in the country.
Because of betting, a student was killed in the capital during the BPL-5, the incident which drew the attention of all the fronts. And then, BCB increased their vigil surveillance and set a security net with the help of the law-enforcing agencies along with its Anti-Corruption unit.
By using mobile phone, the bookmakers are doing this heinous sitting in the galleries of the stadium. Even they take the chance of delay of the match broadcasting to bet with others.
The BCB will also take their necessary steps to prevent such crime so that none can dare to bet sitting in the galleries of the stadium under the corridor of the security net.
When asked about the outfield of the SBNCS, the CEO said, the outfield has now been better what was in Australia series. We think that it will be better further with the pace of the times, he said, adding: Actually we have to work keeping many things in mind. Weve organised many events the likes of World Cup, Asia Cup in Mirpur. We give top priority to Mirpur ground to arrange any big event of the country.
With the match of Bangladesh and visiting Zimbabwe, the curtain of the tri-nation series will be raised at the SBNCS on January 15. Sri Lanka, the other team of the series, will face off Bangladesh in the third match on January 19. The tournament, which is being held in Bangladesh soil after an eight-year-lull, will end on January 27.
