Bangladesh’s Supreme Court is upholding the order that bans gambling activities, such as dice, card and housie, at 13 clubs across the country.
Early this week, the High Court directed the government to “immediately stop gambling” at the clubs, which include the Dhaka Club, 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 court ruling was in response to a writ petition filed by two Supreme Court lawyers Samiul Huq and Rokonuddin Md Faruq, The Daily Star report.
Barrister Redowan Ahmed Runjid, lawyer for the petitioners, told the news outlet that “gambling in exchange for money is illegal and a punishable offence under the Dhaka Metropolitan Police Ordinance 1976, Chittagong Metropolitan Police Ordinance, 1978 and Public Gambling Act, 1867 and Article 18(2) of the constitution.” Despite this, the clubs still arranged playing dice, cards and housie “involving exchange of money” in their premises, clearly violating the provisions, the barrister said.
The High Court also gave authorities concerned four weeks to explain “why they should not be directed to take actions against the unlawful business and indoor games of cards, dice and housie in exchange for money.”
The Dhaka Club, however, filed a petition seeking a stay, arguing that the gambling activities in their club were arranged “only for their members,” according to the Dhaka Tribune.
The Supreme Court stayed the order for a day, but the four-member bench of the Appellate Division—which heard the petition—refused to budge, declaring that the high court’s order “will remain in force until further order.” The bench, headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha, asked the Dhaka Club to submit a leave to appeal petition against the High Court order on Sunday.
