Casino business: NSI members helped Nepalese nationals flee

Three members of the National Security Intelligence (NSI) helped Nepalese nationals to flee soon after the crackdown against casinos began on Wednesday night. 

The Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police has obtained the details of the officials. 

They are Assistant Programmer Akter Hossain from Chattogram district, Dipankar and another constable of the NSI. The name of the third NSI member could not be known immediately.

At least 19 Nepalese nationals ran away as the Rapid Action Battalion raided three several clubs in Motijheel on Wednesday, DB sources said. 

They eventually took shelter at a residence in the capital's Segunbagicha area. 

CCTV footage of that building shows that three persons entered the building and one of them was holding a walky-talky in his hand. 

Several media outlets reported that the NSI men entered the building and stayed at least one and a half hours on its fifth floor where the Nepalese stayed after the raid. 

Abdul Baten, additional commissioner of the detective branch, said: "We have identified the three persons who helped the Nepalese. The officials are under our radar and legal action will be taken against them." 

Earlier on Tuesday, at a briefing at Dhaka Metropolitan Police media centre, Additional Commissioner Monirul Islam said no evidence suggests that the trio is from the police department. 

He also suggested that the media should not write or publish any name without any proof or confirmation. 

Earlier, detective sources said that some 15-20 clubs began casino business hiring Nepalese and Thai citizens to Dhaka. Six influential political leaders had been operating the business with more than 100 foreigners.