RAB set to be renamed 'Special Intervention Force'
Protecting human rights, enhancing transparency, and modernising the force will be the core objectives of the reform, said Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury.
The interim government has decided to rechristen the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) as the "Special Intervention Force (SIF)".
Bite-Sized: Why Bangladesh renaming RAB to SIF
The elite force will also get a new uniform while its structure and activities will undergo major changes, Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said, sharing the development while talking to reporters following a meeting at the Secretariat today (3 February).
He also said a gazette notification on the matter will be issued very soon.
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Since its formation in 2004, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has faced numerous allegations of enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and other human rights violations. In this context, the United States imposed sanctions on RAB and its top officials in 2021. More recently, a report published by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights also recommended the disbandment of RAB. New York-based human rights organisation Human Rights Watch (HRW) has long been calling for the force to be dissolved.
The home affairs adviser said, "Taking into account the force's past activities and international sanctions, initiatives have been taken to make it more transparent and people-friendly. The SIF will be structured along the lines of how elite forces operate in countries such as France, Italy, and England."
The government said the process of transforming RAB into SIF will not be limited to a change in name alone. Protecting human rights, enhancing transparency, and modernising the force will be the core objectives of the reform. As part of the visible changes, sweeping modifications are being made to the force's uniform, logo, and identity cards.
It was learnt that during a meeting of the law enforcement–related advisory council committee, instructions were given to closely review the operational models of elite forces in developed European countries to ensure that no allegations of human rights violations arise in the future.
According to the recommendations of the Police Reform Commission, SIF will be formed in a way that ensures it operates in a lawful and accountable manner.
After the meeting, the home affairs adviser also expressed optimism about the upcoming election. The home adviser said, "The morale of the police is now higher than at any time before. After the announcement of the election schedule, the situation will remain festive, and an acceptable election will be held."
