Gaibandha has lately become a haven for anti-social activities including gambling, lotteries and indecent performance in name of cultural programmes.
Law enforcers in Gaibandha are allegedly overlooking the events with an excuse of being busy in ensuring security during the countrywide blockade and hartals. This has led to an increase in various crimes in the district affecting the residents in many ways.
There are at least 12 places in Gaibandha where anti-social activities have been going on for the last two months. The areas are Sadar upazila’s Kalitola, Kodomertol, Ramchandrapur Rostom intersection, Tulsighat Tinmatha, Mollarchar’s Chithulia, Kuderpara, Pashchim Badiakhali, Amlagachhi of Polashbari, Agnibina club field of Gobindaganj upazila sadar, Jomuna bazar and Deluabari of Fulchhari upazila.
Among them gambling is the most pervasive in Gaibandha Sadar upazila. Since December 20, gambling under the guise of jatra festival has been going on in Kalitola village. Local people burnt the jatra stage on January 3 but it again started on January 22 allegedly with support of the law enforcers.
The same happened in Kodomertol area where the gambling venue was demolished twice on January 3 and 21. But it again began some days ago.
Amirul Islam, teacher of Badiakhali village in Gaibandha sadar upazila, said: “The SSC examinees have been facing a lot of trouble because of the gambling and jatra programmes. The loud speakers are hampering their attention. Some students have also been bunking classes and studies to go to the jatra.”
Azadur Rahman of Tulsighat village said such large-scale arrangement of gambling has never been seen in the area. He alleged that crimes had increased in the area since the gambling began.
Moreover, most of the festivals have been using illegal electricity connections. An official of Gaibandha power distribution office, on anonymity, said: “The on going Boro irrigation is being hampered because of the illegal use of electricity. But we cannot disconnect them as powerful people are involved with the support of police.”
An organiser of the festival said they had to bribe each police station at least Tk10,000 to arrange the festival.
General Secretary of district CPB Mihir Ghosh said: “Police have been reluctant to take action. They are giving excuse of extra duty because of the blockade and hartals. But they are also involved in the gambling business.”
District coordinator of BSD Golam Rabbani said the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) assured them of taking action when they held a demonstration on January 3. But the jatra and gambling were still going on.
When contacted UNO Ashraful Momin Khan said: “These gambling and anti-social activities start at night. And it is not possible for me to stay vigilant at night. It is the responsibility of the law enforcers. But despite our requests, we are yet to get any support from the police.”
However, Officer-in-Charge of Gaibandha Sadar police station Raziur Rahman denied all the allegations and said they were busy tackling the political violence. It was not possible for them to take action against gambling with limited manpower and resources.
