Specialized force RAB to stay, unit's name to change

Allegations of enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and other human rights violations against the elite force, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), are long-standing. Taking those allegations into consideration, the government had decided to abolish this specialized unit. Initially, the plan was to dissolve RAB and form a new specialized force. However, that is no longer happening. The specialized unit will remain as before, but its name is being changed.

So far, four names have been discussed, but the new name has not been finalized. An inter-ministerial meeting will be held on July 29 at the Ministry of Home Affairs regarding this matter. According to a relevant source, the new name of the organization may be finalized there based on the opinions of stakeholders.

According to information provided by the Ministry of Home Affairs source, the government had taken an in-principle decision quite some time ago to abolish RAB, considering pressure and demands from various quarters. Initially, it was decided that after the abolition, a specialized force under the police would be formed. RAB had proposed the name 'People's Protection Forces (PPF)' for the new entity. The ministry also proposed three names – Rapid Action Battalion Force (RABF), Special Response Battalion (SRB), and Special Response Force (SRF).

Earlier, on May 18, after the conclusion of RAB's 22nd founding anniversary ceremony, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed had hinted at the organization's abolition. He told journalists, "The government is working with the aim of forming a modern and professional elite force in the days ahead, upholding human rights and fulfilling the expectations of the people."

It has been learned that in the draft of the proposed 'People's Protection Forces Act-2026,' the context of abolishing RAB and forming a new specialized force was outlined, stating that such a step was being taken to strengthen internal security and take measures against terrorism. Additionally, recovering narcotics, illegal arms and explosives, and maintaining the overall law and order system of the country were cited as the main objectives. However, the government later backed away from its position of creating a new specialized force. A new draft of the proposed law was prepared, incorporating the formation of a specialized unit under the Bangladesh Police, as before. The meeting on July 29 will be held to seek opinions on that draft. Chaired by Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Manzur Morshed Chowdhury, the meeting may finalize the draft based on the opinions of stakeholders, including representatives from all relevant ministries, departments, offices, and agencies. The new name after RAB's abolition will also be finalized there.

The proposed draft states that this specialized organization will be formed, like RAB, with members from various government forces. It will have a Director General (DG), who must be a police officer. He will operate under the control of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and manage the overall activities of the unit according to government orders. If any member of this unit commits an offense, they will be punished according to the relevant laws and regulations of their parent organization.

Officers of this unit will have powers equal to an Officer-in-Charge (OC) of a police station regarding search, detention, and arrest. If any member arrests a person or seizes any object, it must be sent to the nearest police station as soon as possible, along with a summary report on the matter. While this provision existed in RAB's law, it has not been properly followed. The proposed law will include clear directives to ensure this compliance.
Reasons behind the abolition of RAB

Over the past two decades, Bangladesh has faced the most criticism on the national and international stage over enforced disappearances and crossfire incidents. Statistics from various domestic and foreign organizations show that RAB's name has come up the most in connection with these two types of crimes. Given this reality, following the July uprising, the commission investigating enforced disappearances recommended abolishing RAB.

At the beginning of this year, Human Rights Watch (HRW) and other human rights organizations also demanded the abolition of the force. Earlier, on December 10, 2021, the United States imposed sanctions on seven former and current RAB officials over human rights violations. Essentially, after the July uprising, RAB's past activities came under the most intense scrutiny. In a report submitted on January 5 of this year, the commission investigating disappearances stated that RAB was involved in approximately 25% of all reported disappearance cases—the highest for any single force. Of the 40 secret detention centers uncovered by the commission, 22–23 belonged to RAB. Documents from the Police Special Branch also show evidence that in 1,007 crossfire incidents over seven years (2015–2021), 1,293 people were killed, and RAB's name was mentioned in 293 of those incidents.

The ruling party, BNP, demanded the abolition of RAB at a press conference on December 10, 2024, during the tenure of the interim government. Two decades earlier, in March 2004, it was the BNP government that had established this special unit, composed of members from the police, army, navy, air force, BGB, coast guard, and Ansar. Shortly after its formation, several top criminals, including Pichi Hannan in Dhaka, and 'extremist terrorists' in the southwestern region were killed one after another in RAB's 'crossfires'. It was from then on that RAB began drawing widespread attention.

Later, the murder of seven people in Narayanganj on April 27, 2014, caused an uproar both at home and abroad. In exchange for money from local ward councilor Nur Hossain, 11 RAB members, including the then-commander of RAB-11, Lieutenant Colonel Tarek Sayeed, were implicated in these killings. After the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government, RAB formally apologized for these incidents on December 12, 2024. The organization also admitted from its side that secret detention centers, or "Aynaghar" (mirror rooms), had existed within RAB during the ousted Awami League regime.