The Detective Branch (DB) of Lalmonirhat district police arrested seven people in Kaliganj upazila on 10 November 2026, starting with a raid in the early hours of that day, on accusations of online gambling and of moving gambling money through bKash and Nagad. The arrests were reported the same day by Desh TV and the Bangla daily Rupali Bangladesh.
What happened
- The raid. According to Desh TV, the DB learned during a special drive that several people near a temple in Batrish Hazari, in Chandrapur union, were gambling online through apps and exchanging money with other gamblers through Nagad and bKash. Rupali Bangladesh puts the raid at 1:20am on 10 November; Desh TV says it took place before dawn that day.
- The arrests. Three people were detained at the scene as they tried to run away, Desh TV reports, and four more were arrested later on information from the first three. The seven are aged between 23 and 40 and, according to Desh TV, live in Kaliganj and Lalmonirhat Sadar upazilas.
- Seizures. Rupali Bangladesh reports that seven Android phones were seized. Desh TV says police seized several Android phones as well as SIM cards and bKash and Nagad accounts used for gambling transactions.
- Apps on the phones. According to Desh TV, the phones had gambling apps installed, among them Crickex and Babu88, which were being used through the Google Chrome browser. Desh TV names eight apps and sites in total. Rupali Bangladesh says police found evidence of gambling payments through Nagad and bKash.
- Legal action. Roushan Kabir, officer-in-charge of the Lalmonirhat DB, said legal action against the seven was under way and that such operations would continue, Desh TV reported. According to Rupali Bangladesh, the DB said this includes filing a regular case under the gambling law.
Why it matters
Two of the apps named in the Desh TV report, Crickex and Babu88, are brands this site covers in our Crickex review and Babu88 review. We could not verify a licence for either brand, and a licence held abroad would not make online gambling legal in Bangladesh. Since the Gambling Prevention Act 2026 came into force on 1 July, online gambling offences carry up to five years in prison or a Tk 1 crore fine, The Business Standard reported. Our guide to the law on online gambling in Bangladesh explains what the Act covers.
The case follows the Lalpur online gambling raid in Natore on 1 November, where police also seized phones used for gambling through apps. MFS accounts used for gambling payments have also been the target of BFIU account freezes this year. On 5 November, police in Rajshahi also arrested two men over online gambling.
Sources
- Desh TV (Bangla), 10 November 2026
- Rupali Bangladesh (Bangla), 10 November 2026
- The Business Standard, 2 July 2026
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