Casino: Legal notice served to take steps against Menon

A Supreme Court lawyer today sent a legal notice to the home ministry requesting it to take necessary action against Rashed Khan Menon, chairman of the governing body of Young Men's Club, for running casino business in the club.

Advocate Eunus Ali Akond sent the legal notice saying that “the law enforcers did not take any action against the said chairman (Menon) though some others were arrested”.

“As per media news, I could know that Rahsed Khan Menon, MP of Dhaka-8 constituency, is the chairman of the governing body of Young Men’s Club, Fakirapool, Motejheel, Dhaka, and the said MP inaugurated the casino with cutting red rope. His photograph has also been seen at his chairman room of Young Men’s Club,” he said in the legal notice.

Advocate Eunus said in the legal notice that, “the said member of parliament is liable for joint crimes as defined under sections 3, 4 and 15 of the Public Gambling Act. The said MP is a lawmaker, but he has violated Article 18(2) of the constitution and gambling act”.

According to Article 18 (2) of the constitution, the state shall adopt effective measures to prevent prostitution and gambling, he said in the legal notice.

“Such action of the said MP is unconstitutional and it is a sedition charge as defined under Article 7A of the constitution and punishable under the Penal Code,” Eunus said in the legal notice.

In the legal notice, the lawyer requested the authorities concerned to reply to the legal notice in 24 hours and said that he would file a writ petition with the High Court necessary order if they don’t reply to the notice.

He also said in the legal notice that Md Muhibul Haque, secretary of the ministry of civil aviation and tourism, decided on September 24 in presence of Mahbub Ali, state minister for civil aviation and tourism, that they will set casino for foreigners. The decision is unconstitutional, he said in the legal notice.

Eunus Ali Akond sent the same legal notice to Rashed Khan Menon, state minister for civil aviation and tourism and its secretary, and Md Shamsul Huq Chowdhury, MP and whip of Jatiya Sangsad.