The Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) has faced significant controversy due to its involvement in enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and torture in clandestine facilities, among other serious human rights violations during the Awami League government’s rule. There is widespread public support for abolishing Rab, as highlighted in the final report titled “Unfolding the Truth: A Structural Diagnosis of Enforced Disappearance in Bangladesh” by the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances, which recommended dismantling Rab, citing its central role in the system of enforced disappearances, torture, and extrajudicial killings.
The United States imposed sanctions on Rab in 2021, even during the Awami League’s tenure. Subsequently, after the 2024 uprising, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) conducted an independent investigation into human rights violations and recommended Rab’s dissolution.
The introduction of the Special Response Battalion Bill, 2026 in parliament on September 3 aimed to disband Rab, but the bill falls short. While proposing to abolish Rab, the bill essentially retains the force’s core structure, powers, and functions under a new name, the Special Response Battalion (SRB). The bill has been referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Home Affairs for review.
Under the proposed law, SRB would inherit all aspects of Rab, including powers, resources, institutional framework, personnel, and assets. It would function as a specialized unit within the police force, with members comprising police officers, disciplined force personnel, and designated armed forces or government employees. The SRB would have its own insignia, uniform, and be led by a director general with considerable law enforcement powers, including conducting investigations, arrests, and seizures, as well as maintaining interrogation facilities.
Contrary to recommendations to limit the armed forces’ involvement in internal security tasks, the SRB bill allows for the inclusion of armed forces members, raising concerns about human rights abuses. The bill’s resemblance to Rab, including the legal framework and structure, raises alarms about continued impunity and lack of accountability.
Recent legislation, including the National Human Rights Commission Bill, 2026, and the Enforced Disappearance Prevention and Redress Bill, 2026, further raise concerns. The new NHRC law lacks independence, allowing government control over appointments and operations. The enforced disappearance law limits NHRC’s investigative authority and sets up an inadequate mechanism for probing disappearances by state agencies.
The prevailing legal framework may fail to prevent human rights violations, indicating a need for revisions to address past abuses effectively. Dr. Sharif Bhuiyan, a former visiting fellow at the University of Cambridge and senior advocate at the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, emphasizes the importance of revising these laws to prevent future rights violations.