A wave of shock has gripped the sports arena knowing that while sportsmen and their coaches are deprived of their pay, most of the professional sporting club officials were seen ‘busy’ in gambling and antisocial activities at different sports clubs.
Gambling and antisocial activities are continuing to drive away regular club activities. Gambling began to emerge in Bangladesh from the nineties.
Once upon a time, sports clubs were sports-centric. Teams like Mohammedan, Dilkusha, Arambagh, Muktijoddha Krira Chakra, Kalabagan, Fakirapul Youngmen, Victoria Sporting, Wanderers and Wari have shaken the field with football and hockey but now gambling has become the main activity.
Because of this, the standard of sports development is now at the brink of destruction. In addition, gambling in the clubs are helping people smuggle billions of money abroad through hundi.
On September 18, a raid was carried out on Young Men's Club of Fakirapool, Dhaka Wonderers Club of Motijheel, Muktijoddha Krira Chakra and Banani's Golden Dhaka Bangladesh.
However, it is not the case that the first casino was opened only a few days ago at the club houses in Motijheel. During the tenure of past governments, these clubs were running casino business.
Multiple sources from law enforcement agencies seeking anonymity said that sports people and local residents ran the casino business and some leaders of the Jubo League and Sheschashebak League were involved in the illegal casino business. They thought they would remain outside the reach of the law enforcers.
Clubs could no longer afford to bear the expenses because of increased sports costs. That' is why a vicious cycle entered the clubs. They rented a club house and launched games called One-Ten and Rami. They paid 30,000 to 50 thousand taka to the clubs every night, sources said.
Those who were running the casino businesses allegedly paid a certain sum of money to political leaders, the police and other powerful people.
Originally, after the BNP-Jamaat coalition government came to power, the clubs started renting houses for gambling. For the first few years, One-Ten and Rami continued. Seven to eight years ago, the clubs took the initiative to launch international-standard casino in exchange of money in the Kalabagan Club.
The casino was closed at the Kalabagan Club in January this year. However, slot machines at Kalabagan, an international standard board for gambling, were brought in from Nepal along with some trained women and men. At first there was a game called Bakara (club game) in clubs, followed by roulette and a few other games.
According to some football players and club sources, the slot machines were brought to Victoria and later to the Wanderers clubs, later to Fakirapool Youngmen's Club, Muktijoddha Krira Chakra, Mohammedan, Arambagh and Kalabagan Club. Earlier, the clubs which rented houses for three thousand and five thousand taka, are now getting from Tk 80,000 to Rs 1 lakh per night. So instead of sports, gambling has become the main attraction.
An official of the Mohammedan Sporting Club Limited said, they welcome the government's initiative.
Fakirapool Youngmen's Club was once one of the leading football clubs in the country and they took part in the first division sports competitions. The quality of sports has now gone down. At one stage, many new players were created, now the club is not on the right tract. Wanderers dominated football in Dhaka in the fifties and sixties. It received many championship trophies in the various Football Leagues.
Many big footballers played for this club. However, for many years Wanderers is no longer in the game of football in the country. Wari is also one of the traditional clubs in the country.
Former sports secretary and current MP Nur Mohammad said, there are countries in the world where gambling is organized to sponsor sports! But here this illegal act has become institutionalized. That is why sports is now on the brink of destruction. He thanked the Prime Minister's stance.