Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed on Monday said the government will restructure the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) as a people-friendly and responsible force in the future.
He made the announcement while addressing a programme as the chief guest at the RAB headquarters in Uttara, marking the force’s 22nd founding anniversary.
The Home Minister said the government has undertaken a series of reform initiatives aimed at transforming RAB into a professional, modern, responsible and people-oriented institution.
“These initiatives include enhancing the operational capability and professional skills of RAB members, providing specialised training on the minimum use of force in line with international standards, human rights compliance, and the use of artificial intelligence in crime prevention,” he said.
Salahuddin also announced that a specialised training centre for RAB will soon be established at Jungle Salimpur in Chattogram to further strengthen the force’s operational capacity.
He said the government is also working to adopt time-befitting strategies to address evolving crime patterns, strengthen public engagement to restore confidence, and uphold the principles of human rights, rule of law and professional ethics to help build a safe and stable society.
“To ensure transparency and accountability, the government has taken initiatives to formulate a specific and comprehensive law for RAB,” the Home Minister added.
He said no institution remained unaffected during the Awami League “fascist regime” when the elite force was used for political interests, harming its image, but stressed that an entire institution should not be blamed for the unlawful activities of a few officials. “The institutions must continue their work while upholding their own reputation and dignity. There will be no political interference from the government in this regard,” he said.
Salahuddin wants to demonstrate to the world that all its institutions are accountable and committed to the rule of law.
He also said the government is considering changing the existing name of RAB.
Replying to a question, the Home Minister said RAB is essentially a combined elite force comprising members from Bangladesh Police (44 percent), the Armed Forces Division (44 percent), as well as Ansar, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), and civil staff.
Responding to a question about the withdrawal of US sanctions imposed on the force, he said, “During the previous fascist regime, Sheikh Hasina used this force like a puppet to fulfil her desire to establish a one-party rule and to achieve political objectives. Due to the unlawful and misguided activities of a small number of officers, the entire institution has suffered today. However, the whole institution cannot bear responsibility for the crimes of an individual or a few specific officers.”
Salahuddin added that directives have already been issued to take strict legal action against the accused officers under the legal frameworks of their own forces.
He also expressed hope that once the force is reformed, reorganised, or renamed under the new law, the United States government will reconsider the sanctions issue.
Explaining the rationale behind the legal reforms, the Home Minister said for the past 20 years, RAB had not operated under any specific independent law but had instead functioned on an ad hoc basis under a special provision of the Armed Police Battalion Act. “An elite force cannot continue for such a long time under an interim structure,” he said.
To address this legal gap, he said, the Ministry of Home Affairs has already formed a high-level law formulation committee comprising experts, which is being directly supervised by the minister himself.
He said the proposed new law will clearly define the force’s authority and responsibility while ensuring strict provisions for transparency and accountability.
Responding to another question regarding investigations and trials over enforced disappearances and crimes against humanity committed during the previous government, Salahuddin said the earlier commission on enforced disappearances had no specific legal authority to take punitive measures, which created legal complications.
The government is currently working to amend and strengthen the law related to the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT), he said, adding that once the reforms are completed, all crimes related to enforced disappearances, threats of disappearance and missing persons could be tried through a specific legal process under the special tribunal, ensuring justice directly for victims and their families.