Samrat is obsessed with gambling: Wife

Sharmin Chowdhury, wife of former Juba League leader Ismail Hossain Samrat, today said he is obsessed with gambling.

“He has no craving for property, flat or cars… He used to visit Singapore frequently on gambling purpose,” the wife told reporters when Rab members raided at their Mohakhali DOHS residence this afternoon.

Sharmin, the second wife of the alleged casino kingpin, also claimed that Samrat, who was arrested from Cumilla early today, has no asset at all. "Most of the money he earned from gambling has been spent for his party.”

“Time has changed now. People do not participate in the party programme without money. So, he needs huge amount of money. And thus, he got involved in the Casino business,” she said. 

Replying to a query, Sharmin said her husband got involved in the gambling three to four years back.

“Before that, he might have earned money through his business ... as a conductor,” she said. 

Sharmin married to Samrat 19 years back and they have a son who is now living abroad. She used to stay in the Mohakhali residence and their relationship turned sour two years back, she added.

Samrat, who had an open-heart surgery earlier, did not visit this house these days as there is no lift in the building.

Sharmin used to meet Samrat at his Kakrail office twice or thrice a month where she saw another casino gambler Khaled Mahmud Bhuiyan, who is also a Juba League leader, she said.  

“So far I know Samrat owns this flat and another flat at Shantinagar and the office in Kakrail house,” she said replying to a query about his property.

“No other leader is as popular as Samrat. He would like to be flanked by his party men. He is a good man and behaves well with all,” she claimed.

Sharmin welcomed the drive against the casino business but said things would not turn so worse, if the law enforcement agencies would have taken action when casino gambling started in the country.