The emperor’s fall
The arrest of Ismail Hossain Chowdhury Samrat—president of Jubo League Dhaka South unit, also a casino kingpin—on October 6, by Rapid Action Battalion, along with Enamul Haque Arman, vice president of the same unit of the ruling party's youth wing, is commendable.
While the ongoing drive is appreciable, the government must not allow complacence to water down its efforts to wipe out this social malaise. We would like to take Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on his word that this drive will continue and that no one involved in corruption will be spared. Thus the government should not limit this steadfast drive only against the casino business, but it should work towards exterminating corruption in all the other sectors for the development of the country.
The government should also look into and eliminate all the factors that have led to the festering of the casino business, including identification and punishment of the individuals who have funded, encouraged, participated in and benefitted from this illegal activity. It should also make sure that unlike the half-demolished buildings of Beribadh that have soon been reoccupied by the inhabitants, or the half-hearted drives to free our footpaths that are taken over by the hawkers no sooner than the drives are over, this crackdown on the casino business is watertight with no possibility of the resurgence of this illegal business in the country. Samrat's empty throne should be dismantled so that no one can sit on it ever again. The prime minister has rightfully said, "I have taken action against Chhatra League and Jubo League. I won't spare anyone," and indeed the government should take this drive to every other sector in order to rid our country of corruption and social evils.
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