Bangladesh on lookout for bookmakers trying to enter country during ICC World Cup 2011
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this year.
The statement comes in wake of news reports that foreign bookmakers may enter the country in a bid to establish contacts with players and managing staff of the teams taking part in the tournament.
State Home Minister Shamsul Haque Tuku said, “Travel papers of visitors are being closely checked to look for 25 bookies whose list has been supplied by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to the Home Ministry.” He also said, “We are alert to them. Steps
have been taken to bar the crime racket in reaching the captain, players or officials of any cricket teams. It is also been taken care of so that they cannot get any important information on any team."
Earlier this week the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) provided a list of the names of 25 foreign bookies who might try to enter the country in a bid make bets on the matches that are scheduled in the World Cup.
The list was provided by the ICC to the BCB and the board immediately forwarded it to the government. The list includes the names and details of the bookies so that the government could bar them from entering the country.
According to insiders the bookies on the list are all foreigner nationals. Dr Kamaluddin Ahmed, the joint secretary of the Bangladesh Home Ministry, assured that the ministry had advised the immigration authorities to examine travelling documents of all
the foreigners entering the country to assess if any bookie had managed to enter. However, he reiterated that the Immigration Department was not sure any bookmaker of foreign origin had landed in the country so far.
The ICC wants to keep the ongoing World Cup free from any controversies for which it wants the host countries to keep close tabs on the activities of potential bookies. ICC has also deployed members of its anti-corruption unit to keep an eye on the players
and managements of the countries playing in the World Cup.
According to details, agents of the anti-corruption unit are also deployed at the cricket venues during the matches. The cricketing body has advised cricket boards to bar players from using cell phones and the internet during matches. The players have also
been restricted from tweeting during ongoing fixtures. All these efforts are being taken in a bid to reduce contacts between bookies and players.
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