Amid mounting international pressure regarding human rights violations, the BNP-led government is attempting to navigate a diplomatic minefield by rebranding the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB).
Despite previous electoral pledges and formal demands to abolish the force, the administration has opted for a structural overhaul rather than dissolution.
Instead of disbanding the unit, the government is moving to strengthen it through significant logistical investments and a new legal framework.
A legacy of ‘crossfires’
Formed on 26 March 2004 during a previous BNP tenure, the force officially commenced operations on 14 April 2004, coinciding with Pohela Boishakh.
Comprised of personnel from the police, army, navy, air force, and the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), RAB initially gained public support for its effective anti-militancy operations and rapid response to major crimes.
Its image was defined by its distinctive black uniforms, black sunglasses, and weaponry superior to that of the regular police.
However, this popularity was soon eclipsed by allegations of extrajudicial killings – frequently referred to as “crossfires” – illegal interrogations, and physical and mental torture.
High-profile controversies include the “gunfight” death of Student Dal leader Momin Ullah David, the disappearances of BNP leaders Ilias Ali and Chowdhury Alam, and the mysterious disappearance of Salahuddin Ahmed.
The force’s role was further questioned in the 2014 Narayanganj seven-murder case and the 2014 abduction of Abu Bakar Siddique, husband of Syeda Rizwana Hasan, chief executive of the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA), who was kidnapped from Fatullah and found blindfolded in Mirpur the following day.
The shooting of student Limon Hossain in the leg and reports of personnel involvement in crimes such as kidnapping, snatching, and robbery have further tarnished its record.
Currently, the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances has linked a significant number of past cases to RAB.
From abolition pledges to strategic expansion
Despite Begum Khaleda Zia and the BNP leadership calling for the force’s dissolution following the 2014 Narayanganj murders, the current government is now moving to fortify the institution.
It has approved the establishment of a new training academy in Jungle Salimpur, Chittagong, and allocated approximately Tk 122 crore to procure 163 new vehicles.
Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed recently indicated that rebranding might facilitate the withdrawal of US sanctions, which were imposed on 10 December 2021 on the force and seven of its officials for serious human rights abuses.
He argued that the “misdeeds” of a few individual officials should not tarnish the entire institution. Zahed Ur Rahman, the Prime Minister’s Information and Broadcasting Advisor, revealed that RAB currently operates under the Armed Police Battalion (APBn) Act.
He confirmed that the government is now drafting a dedicated new law to ensure accountability, transparency, and a more “people-friendly” approach, though the administration is still deliberating whether to reform the existing unit or create an entirely new elite force.
International demands and the “death squad” label
The government’s rebranding efforts face stiff resistance from international bodies that have long campaigned for the unit’s dissolution.
In 2022, twelve organisations – including Human Rights Watch (HRW), Amnesty International, the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), and the Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) – jointly urged the United Nations to exclude RAB members from peacekeeping missions.
HRW has notably labelled the force a “death squad.” For these critics, a mere change of name and uniform does little to address the systemic culture of impunity, suggesting that the force’s controversial shadow will persist unless it is fully disbanded.
