Bangladesh’s anti-crime unit, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), officially ceased operations under its original title on Wednesday, 16 September, rebranding as the Special Response Battalion (SRB). Operating strictly under the police department, the newly designated unit launched its official activities immediately following the publication of the statutory gazette notification. While the organisation’s foundational insignia remains visually intact for the time being, the text within the emblem has been formally revised from “RAB” to “SRB Bangladesh”.
Confirming the operational pivot, force chief Ahsan Habib Palash stated that the official gazette had been published, enabling the body to carry out all operational and administrative functions under the SRB designation. The transition was immediately evident across official press notices, media invitations, and departmental correspondence. A press conference invitation issued on Wednesday prominently featured the modified logo, signaling the definitive structural shift.
This transition marks the final step in a swift legislative process. On 3 September, the Special Response Battalion Bill, 2026 was introduced in Parliament, seeking the dissolution of RAB and the establishment of the SRB as a specialized police wing. After review by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Home Affairs, the bill was passed by voice vote on 10 September amidst debate. The statutory framework achieved full legal validity following its gazette publication on Tuesday, 15 September.
Government ministers emphasised that the reorganization addresses the imperative for a modernized, accountable, and skilled tactical force to combat organized crime, preserve public safety, and uphold the rule of law. Opposing lawmakers raised concerns regarding provisions that transfer RAB’s existing manpower, physical assets, infrastructure, records, and liabilities directly to the SRB, arguing it might preserve the old operational ethos. Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmad refuted these concerns, clarifying that RAB has been completely dismantled and that the SRB shares no institutional continuity with its predecessor.
Established on 26 March 2004, RAB initially earned praise for high-profile operations against violent extremism and syndicates. Over time, however, persistent allegations of extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, and human rights violations generated severe domestic and international scrutiny. These concerns reached a critical point on 10 December 2021, when the United States Department of the Treasury imposed targeted sanctions on RAB and seven of its senior officials.
Calls for fundamental institutional reform gained unprecedented momentum following the recent political shifts. On 10 December 2024, a police administration reform committee formed by the BNP formally recommended disbanding the controversial unit. The cabinet subsequently approved the draft of the Special Response Battalion Act, 2026 in August, laying the groundwork for the current police-led structure. Whether this new legal framework and oversight model will successfully alter the unit’s operational culture remains to be seen as the SRB assumes its security responsibilities nationwide.
