Legal Notice Seeks Ban on Online Gambling

A rights organisation has issued a legal notice to the government on Tuesday, urging immediate action to block all websites, apps, and links associated with online gambling. The notice, sent by the Law and Life Foundation Trust through its counsel, Barrister Mohammad Humaun Kabir Pallob, was addressed to the secretaries of various government ministries, the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), the Financial Intelligence Unit of Bangladesh Bank, and the Inspector General of Police.

In the notice, the rights body called for legal action against celebrities, mobile financial service providers, and scheduled banks allegedly involved in promoting and facilitating online gambling. It accused the relevant authorities of inaction, labelling the rise of online gambling as an "epidemic" that has harmed society.

The notice further alleged that foreign companies, in collaboration with local syndicates, are laundering large sums of money through these gambling platforms. It pointed out that well-known celebrities and media figures in Bangladesh are promoting gambling through paid advertisements on their social media accounts.

The rights group also urged authorities to ensure that internet companies are prevented from promoting gambling-related content and that no online gambling sites can be accessed on social media platforms. It recommended the formation of a special monitoring cell to tackle the issue and called for stringent punitive measures against those involved in the online gambling trade.

The organisation warned that if the government fails to take prompt action, it will file a writ petition before the High Court in the public interest.