The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) used to be established in 2004 with the intent to fight terrorism, organized crime, and militancy. Nonetheless quickly after its formation, RAB grew to change into embroiled in a long checklist of human rights violations. Despite that, RAB used to be controversially awarded the “Independence Award” in 2006 for its “social work.”
Unaccountable for its actions, RAB’s excesses fascinating extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, and torture escalated under the Awami League govt.
As an illustration, the 2014 Narayanganj seven murders wherein RAB officers were learned responsible; the capturing of Limon which shook the nation and allegations of involvement in involuntary disappearances, made the unit’s establish synonymous with brutality.
Despite these violations, RAB loved impunity under various regimes. The AL, whereas serious of RAB’s excesses in its early years, later grew to change into a staunch defender.
As its violations of human rights escalated to an unheard of extent, the United States imposed sanctions on the force in 2021. Calls to dissolve RAB delight in change into more frequent since, with many political events and human rights groups nerve-racking its disbandment or reform.
The Industry Current spoke with teachers, politicians, and a ragged Police IGP to explore the context of RAB’s controversial historic previous and the latest calls for its dissolution. The discussion highlights the political missteps and failures that resulted in the appearance of an unaccountable force, and the challenges forward in re-establishing law and order in Bangladesh.
No merit in preserving a force reliant on fleet fixes
CR Abrar
Old professor of Global Relatives, University of Dhaka
The BNP fashioned RAB as a instant fix, believing it to be an efficient response to the deteriorating law and order effort at the time. Nonetheless, from the outset, concerns were raised about the sustainability of this kind.
What used to be fundamentally required used to be to compose certain efficiency, loyal recruitment, and professionalism for the period of the police and various law enforcement agencies, aligning them with their respective mandates to form capable forces. Rather then pursuing that route, the BNP opted for a shortcut. Now, they themselves are asserting that RAB has to be dissolved since the force has deviated from its supposed reason, resulting in main lack of lives and an absence of accountability.
RAB now bears main baggage, in particular attributable to its recognition as an institution that has no longer developed per loyal tips. It is alleged to had been serious about extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances. The latest discourse about its dissolution is rooted on this context.
One other recount is that personnel from the navy and various services and products were deputed to RAB, bringing fully various orientations and training, in conjunction with a spotlight on countering external enemies.
This blend used to be never supposed to work. Moreover, when these other folks return to their usual forces, they could maybe well also lift with them a various mindset. We design no longer know the extent to which this impacts their parent organisations, as there has been no evaluate of this. Any force tasked with explicit mandates must design professionalism aligned with these mandates.
In this context, I believe RAB has to head. I investigate cross-take a look at no merit in preserving a force reliant on fleet fixes. There could be furthermore the recount of public perception. Some could maybe well maybe also imply simply altering RAB’s establish, however it no doubt is unclear how mighty that could maybe well maybe in actuality abet.
The crux of the topic is that building a rights-respecting, disciplined, and first rate force is a elaborate assignment—in particular when the force is quiet of alternative folks from various backgrounds and orientations. As an alternative, the focus wishes to be on growing a cohesive, neatly-knowledgeable, and first rate force that really serves the opposite folks.
A brand unique force with identical skills could maybe well maybe be created, however with accountability under law
Salahuddin Ahmed
Standing Committee Member, BNP
The credibility of RAB has been completely damaged. Internationally, varied bodies delight in raised concerns, and sanctions from the US Voice Division are serene in force. The sanctions were imposed after an intensive investigation.
Internationally, the picture of our law enforcement agencies has largely been outlined by RAB. Varied agencies, such as DGFI, DB, and CID, are furthermore field to identical scrutiny.
Nonetheless, the sanctions on RAB delight in garnered global attention, highlighting the human rights violations it has committed, in conjunction with brutal enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings. Credible world human rights organizations delight in offered these circumstances with compelling proof, in conjunction with audio and video recordings.
Here is why many political events and stakeholders for the period of the country design no longer prefer this organisation to feature within the country. As a chief political opt up together, the BNP has been calling for its dissolution for a whereas and continues to stand by this living. The ask for RAB’s disbandment has furthermore been incorporated within the police reform anecdote.
Now, some will be fleet to order that this elite force used to be created by the BNP. When this force used to be created, it had certain targets and beliefs, however the previous regime deviated from its targets and beliefs.
In some unspecified time in the future, if the opposite folks of Bangladesh prefer to set aside a extremely technical elite force, this could maybe maybe well be up to the parliament to determine. For now, nonetheless, having a company with this establish within the country is extremely awkward for us.
A brand unique organization could maybe well maybe be established with the identical technical qualifications, skills, equipment, and technology, however one that’s accountable under the law. The latest organization, towards this, lacked accountability.
An elite force is serious to design tasks exterior routine police work
Nurul Huda, ragged IGP
Every country has a various force; we fashioned one too (RAB). The principle goals within the wait on of forming the elite force were gathering intelligence and investigating serious crimes. BNP is claiming that the force has been unable to fulfil these responsibilities. And their claims delight in deserves too.
Nonetheless every force has to work under political route. Then you definately want policy pointers. And you can want to have a examine them by the book. The goals were never crossfire or various prison behaviours. There are mechanisms to manipulate such deviance. If the supervisory board is no longer working, then they would possibly be able to rush off target.
Now, conserving an elite force is a political choice. If the government thinks that no elite force is mandatory, then they would possibly be able to disband it. Nonetheless elite forces are in all places on this planet.
I believe elite forces are mandatory. Their tasks ought to serene be outlined specifically. They ought to serene be supervised and monitored. After which, after they’re running by the book, there’ll be no must disband them. You don’t lower off your head if it hurts, design you?
Nonetheless if it’s previous restoration, it will be disbanded. Often in militia, units are disbanded after a mutiny. Nonetheless the goals for which the elite force used to be created want to be utilized.
If RAB is disbanded, then these responsibilities could maybe well maybe be assigned to various units, or a unique force. Nonetheless the actual fact stays that an elite force is mandatory to design tasks various than routine police work.
