The High Court has ruled in favour of forbidding gambling across the country, which includes social clubs like the Dhaka Club.
The bench of Justice Sheikh Hassan Arif and Justice Md Mahmud Hassan Talukder on Monday (Feb 10) gave its verdict after disposing of a previous rule.
The clubs are Dhaka Club, Uttara Club, Gulshan Club, Dhanmondi Club, Banani Club, Officers' Club, Dhaka Ladies' Club, Cadet College Club, Chittagong Club, Chittagong Seniors' Club, Narayanaganj Club, Sylhet Club and Khulna Club.
On Dec 4, 2016, the High Court issued a rule asking the authorities concerned to explain why legal steps will not be initiated against those facilitating housie, card and dice games involving money.
The rule came after two Supreme Court lawyers filed a petition seeking the court's order to stop gambling at 13 social clubs.
The court then also ordered a stop to card and dice games as well as housie involving money at the clubs.
The petition citing the DMP Ordinance 1976, Chittagong Metropolitan Police Ordinance 1978 and Public Gambling Act 1867 said that any kind of gambling is illegal. But these clubs arrange gambling for their members. Even they have to put the related information on their websites.
The Dhaka Club later moved the Appellate Division and secured a freeze on the interim order forbidding gambling in club.
On Jan 23, the High Court concluded the hearing on the rule and kept its verdict pending.