The portraits of Bangabandhu and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina put up at the entrance of Alokito Sporting Club in Rajshahi are easily noticeable.
What goes on inside the club, however, is highly inappropriate and police on Thursday night caught 14 gamblers red-handed there. Assistant Commissioner of Boalia zone Saifur Rahman led the drive. Of the 14, a local Awami League leader allegedly arranged the release of eight, claiming them to be innocent.
The remaining six – Shamsul Haque Babu, 50, Manjur Ali, 20, Jahangir Ali, 30, Barik Ali, 23, Royal Islam, 23, and Bishal Ali, 25 – were sent to jail yesterday.
Police and locals said the club, located at Kajla under ward 24 of Rajshahi city, earned notoriety for hosting regular gambling sessions.
Describing Thursday’s incident, witnesses said people could listen patriotic songs played by club’s loudspeaker around 10pm, and Bangabandhu’s historic March 7 address was also being played at intervals.
The club’s entrance is decorated with lights and sitting on a chair outside was Shamsul Haque Babu, who was conducting the gambling session, smoking a cigarette.
He scolded the policemen who arrived there, saying: “Did I not give you money?” Hearing him say this, police began beating him at once.
As news of Babu’s arrest spread, hundreds of people gathered at the embankment near the club at night.
They said Babu takes Tk3,000-5,000 every day from the gambling sessions at the club.
He often told people that he could not keep the whole amount to himself, and that he had to pay Tk1,000 to ward Awami League General Secretary Arman Ali and the same amount to police.
According to locals, Babu used to make a living by varnishing furniture. After the Awami League assumed power, he left that job and began operating gambling boards at his house. He shifted the venue from his house to the club a year ago.
Before that, unofficial classes of a Brac-operated primary school would be held at the club. During the term of the previous caretaker government, the only reason the club was not evicted was because of the classes that were held there.
After the city corporation polls in June last year, Babu shut down the school and began using it as a gambling venue. He promised that he would bear the rent of the place where the school would be shifted from the money he would make by operating gambling sessions.
The school authorities, however, refused the proposal and operations of the school are now closed.
Locals alleged that Babu supplies attendees at different party programmes. They said he put flowers on portraits of Bangabandhu and the prime minister on the National Mourning Day and inside, a gambling session was going on.
Following Thursday’s arrest, Arman, also the councillor of ward no 24, went to the police station and lobbied for the release of the detainees. He managed to secure the release of eight by midnight.
“I only arranged the release of those who were innocent. They were just watching TV there. Their mothers work as housemaids. The eight lead an impoverished life. How can they manage money to gamble?” said Arman.
He also strenuously denied the allegation of taking Tk1,000 from Babu every day, terming it false.
“I drew up a list of drug peddlers and gamblers in the area and submitted copies of it to seven offices, including those of police and RAB. Babu ended up on the list and I did not recommended that he be released,” Arman said.
He alleged that police did not act on the list.
Arman also defended the release of the eight from the police station instead of following legal proceedings to secure bail from court.
“I made them hold their ears in front of everyone in the police station as a punishment. It humiliated them,” he said.
Officer-in-Charge of Boalia police station Abdus Sobhan said those who were released were innocent.
“They were allowed to walk out of the police station because they were not involved in the gambling at the club,” he added.
