Give us clear definition of gambling
Dhaka Club and Gulshan Club yesterday filed two separate petitions with the Supreme Court seeking a stay on the High Court verdict that asked the government to stop games involving cards, roll of the dice or luck.
After holding a brief hearing, Justice Hasan Foez Siddique of the Appellate Division sent the petitions to its full bench and fixed February 23 for a hearing on those.
Barristers Rokanuddin Mahmud and Fida M Kamal appeared on behalf of the two clubs that sought the stay from the SC.
The clubs want a definition of gambling; they argue the casinos run commercially at sporting clubs and the indoor games at social clubs are not the same.
Following a writ petition, the HC on February 10 declared gambling in any form, involving cards, roll of the dice or luck and through games like bingo a criminal offence and ordered the government to stop these nationwide.
These games depend on luck or chance and not on competence, and therefore are banned by the law, the HC observed.
The HC also ordered law enforcers to immediately seize any kind of equipment used for gambling and take action against those who gamble or organise gambling.
The HC on December 5, 2016, directed the government to immediately stop gambling at all 13 clubs.
The clubs are Dhaka Club Ltd, 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 HC had also issued a rule asking the authorities concerned to explain why they should not be directed to take actions against the unlawful businesses.
Redowan Ahmed Runjid appeared for the writ petitioners.
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