Khaled Ahmed, Pabna: Local prominent figures have called for the immediate closure of a gaming centre in Pabna town after 10 students were detained during a police raid while allegedly playing games during school hours, raising concerns about their education, future and well-being.The incident took place at G-X Arena, a gaming centre on the ground floor of Yakub Plaza in Pabna town, where members of the District Detective Branch (DB) police conducted a raid on October 8.Concerned over the growing attraction of children and teenagers to gaming centres, local residents and community leaders have urged the authorities to investigate the legality of the establishment and take necessary action against any unlawful operations.Mozammel Haque Kabir, president of the Pabna District Truck Owners Group, said children and teenagers were skipping school to spend time playing games at such centres.“The question is where these young students are getting the money to pay for gaming,” he said, warning that some children could resort to dishonest means, including theft, to meet their gaming expenses.He expressed concern that prolonged gaming and addiction could disrupt students’ education, waste their money and undermine their future prospects.Kabir also called for scrutiny of whether gaming activities involving payments should be considered a form of gambling under applicable laws. He urged the authorities to seal the centre if it was found to be operating illegally and called on its owner to abandon the business, considering its potential impact on children and adolescents.Abdus Salam Babu, general secretary of the Pabna district branch of the Bangladesh Rural Medical Practitioners Association, also expressed concern over the presence of underage children at the gaming centre.He said many of the children were supposed to attend school or coaching classes but were instead spending time at the establishment, potentially harming their education and long-term development.Babu urged the owner to leave the gaming business and engage in an enterprise that would contribute to public welfare.Pabna Superintendent of Police Abu Ashraf said he was not aware of any legal authorisation for such gaming centres and that action would be taken against illegal establishments.“To my knowledge, these establishments have no legal authorisation. The DB police have already raided an illegal gaming centre. Ten students found playing there were detained, and their guardians were called in. After obtaining written undertakings from their guardians, the students were released,” he said.The police chief added that the authorities would take the necessary steps to shut down illegal gaming centres.According to local sources, the DB police raided G-X Arena at around 12:30pm on October 8 and detained the 10 students. They were later released after their guardians provided written undertakings.The centre reportedly began operations on October 4. Local allegations suggest that customers can play games for two hours for Tk 300 or for an entire day for Tk 1,200.The incident has sparked wider concerns about children spending extended periods playing paid games during school hours and the possible consequences for their education, financial habits and healthy development.Local prominent figures have called for a thorough examination of the centre’s legal status and business practices, stressing that authorities, parents and community members should work together to protect children from harmful habits and ensure that their education remains a priority.