BNP against allowing casinos for foreigners

BNP’s senior leader Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan yesterday strongly opposed the government’s reported plan to allow casinos for foreigners in exclusive tourism zones, saying it is an “immoral move”.

“I’ve seen in the newspapers that the government has a plan to allow casinos for foreigners. How did the government reveal this plan amid the huge uproar over casinos in the country? How can the government take such an immoral step?” he said.

The BNP leader came up with the remarks while speaking at a human chain in front of the Jatiya Press Club arranged by Jatiyatabadi Sramik Dal, demanding the release of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia.

Earlier at a press conference on Tuesday, Civil Aviation and Tourism Secretary Md Mohibul Haque said, “There’ll be exclusive tourist zones in Bagerhat, Khulna, Satkhira and Cox’s Bazar. We have a plan so that foreigners can go to casinos at the exclusive tourist zones with their passports like other countries,” the secretary said.

He, however, supported the ongoing drive against illegal casinos in Dhaka.

Moyeen said setting up casinos for foreigners cannot be a justified decision as it will have negative impacts on the locals’ character.

He said the ruling party leaders are involved in casino business and various misdeeds as the government has no accountability.

He said people want to know how the government developed the country when crores of taka and huge stashes of gold are being recovered from the houses of ruling party leaders.

Another BNP standing committee member Nazrul Islam Khan said the allegations of corruption are surfacing against ruling party leaders while some of them are being arrested with crores of “ill-gotten” money.

He criticised prime minister’s political affairs adviser HT Imam for his remarks that those arrested on charges of operating casino business are infiltrators, and questioned why the government allowed them to make money illegally and gave them important posts of Awami League and its associate bodies.