Rapid Action Battalion or RAB, is an anti-crime and anti-terrorism unit of the Bangladesh Police. This elite force consists of members of the Bangladesh Army, Bangladesh Police, Bangladesh Navy, Bangladesh Air Force, Border Guard Bangladesh, and Bangladesh Ansar. It was formed on 26 March 2004 as RAT (Rapid Action Team), and commenced operations on 14 April 2004.
The Rapid Action Battalion has faced criticism from rights groups for their use of extrajudicial killings and alleged involvement in forced disappearances. From 2004 to 2008 RAB had killed 1,062 people.
History
2003–2008
Rapid Action Battalion was formed on 12 July 2003 under the Armed Police Battalion (Amendment) Act, 2003. The act was passed through the amendment of Armed Forces Battalion Ordinance 1979 which provides immunity to RAB officers for actions taken in the course of their duty. Each battalion of Rapid Action Battalion is commanded by Additional Deputy Inspector General rank officer or its equivalent in other forces. RAB cannot file cases with courts themselves but must be forward the cases to Bangladesh Police who will file the case with the court. RAB is composed of personnel from Bangladesh military and law enforcement agencies who return to their own units after service with RAB ends.
RAB replaced the short lived Rapid Action Team (RAT) which was formed in January 2003. RAB has faced criticism for alleged extrajudicial killings from its formation. In an editorial on 23 July 2004 The Daily Star wrote "reign it in before it turns into a [RABid] monster." RAB was provided weapons seized from 10-Truck Arms and Ammunition Haul in Chittagong on 16 April 2004. RAB has a media centre in Karwan Bazar.
On 15 July 2004, RAB arrested Sumon Ahmed Majumder, a Jubo League leader and garment trader, in Tongi. He died within 10 hours of being arrested from torture at RAB headquarters in Uttara. He was a witness to the murder of Ahsanullah Master, member of parliament from Awami League. Police claimed he died while resisting arrest while RAB claimed he was lynched by the general public. Police refused to take a complaint from his father.
On 30 May 2005, RAB arrested Abul Kalam Azad Sumon, a tailor and Bangladesh Chhattra League activist, from Dhaka along with two others. He was killed soon after. He had been shot six times and his body showed signs of torture. According to his mother, Sumon had switched from Bangladesh Nationalist Party to Awami League which angered his local member of parliament Mirza Abbas.
On 8 March 2006, RAB detained Md. Masudur Rahman, a businessman and activist of Jubo League, from Dhaka. His body was found with signs of torture and bullet wounds the next day.
On 24 January 2007, journalist Jahangir Alam Akash was detained and tortured by RAB-5 in Rajshahi by Major Rashidul Hassan Rashid.
On 15 July 2008, Moshiul Alam Sentu of Bangladesh Jatiotabadi Chatra Dal was detained by Rapid Action Battalion from Dhaka and his body was found the next day in a paddy field in Barisal. According to RAB he died in a crossfire; his body showed signs of torture. Dr. Mizanur Rahman Tutul, leader of the insurgent Purbo Banglar Communist Party, was detained on 26 July and his body was recovered the next day.
2009–2018
Shafique Ahmed, Minister of Law, defended RAB to Human Rights Watch by saying RAB only killed criminals in 2009. On May 28, Moshin Sheikh, and Ali Jinnah, students of Dhaka Polytechnic Institute, were killed in a crossfire by RAB. On 22 October, F. M. Masum, a reporter of the New Age, was beaten after he hesitated to open the door for plainclothes RAB officers who were assaulting his landlord's wife. The officers had said he deserved to beaten for working for Nurul Kabir, editor of the New Age. Bangladesh Air Force Officer Anisur Rahman, on deputation to RAB, was found guilty of torture by RAB's own internal investigation; he was sent back to the air force and no further action was taken. RAB-1 led by Flight Lieutenant Raihan Asgar Khan killed Kaiser Mahmud Bappi in a crossfire. On 13 November, Lutfar Rahman Khalashi, and Khairul Huq Khalashi, two brothers and businessmen, were detained by RAB from Narayanganj District. Their family organized a press conference and protest asking they not be killed in a crossfire. They were killed in a crossfire on 16 November. Bangladesh High Court expressed concern over the death of the two brothers.