A bill was placed in the Jatiya Sangsad yesterday to abolish the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and establish a new elite force called the Special Response Battalion (SRB).

Since its inception, the RAB has been operating under the Armed Police Battalions (Amendment) Act 2003. Alongside the SRB bill, the Armed Police Battalion (APBn) Bill 2026 was also introduced.

After Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed placed the Special Response Battalion Bill 2026, it was sent to the parliamentary standing committee on the home ministry for scrutiny within four days.

Salahuddin, in the statement of purpose and reasons, said that it is necessary to have a modern, professional, skilled, specialised and accountable unit to ensure public security in the country, effectively prevent and suppress organised crime and other serious crimes, and maintain the overall law and order situation.

It is also necessary to provide necessary support to the police force and other law enforcement agencies in the event of an emergency and to respond quickly, comprehensively and effectively to emerging special situations, he added.

The proposed law states that all manpower, orders, powers, privileges, funds, cash and bank deposits, liabilities, contracts, movable and immovable property, registers, and records of RAB will be transferred to SRB. Until new regulations are framed, the existing 2005 rules regarding RAB’s disciplinary measures and court proceedings will remain in force.

Under the bill, SRB will function as a specialised unit under the police force. It will be staffed by police officers, members of disciplined forces, and designated armed personnel or employees, either through appointment or deputation. The unit will have its own flag, emblem, and uniform, with a director general drawn from the rank of additional inspector general of police or above.

SRB will be empowered to investigate criminal offences and conduct searches, arrests, and seizures. It will also maintain its own lock-up, storeroom, and interrogation facilities. A multi-stakeholder grievance redress committee will be formed to handle public complaints and internal grievances of SRB members.

While Salahuddin was presenting the bill in parliament, Opposition Chief Whip Nahid Islam opposed the move. He demanded a detailed discussion in parliament before forming a new elite force.

Opposition Leader Shafiqur Rahman also made the same call. This led to a debate between the home minister and the opposition leader.

Nahid Islam said that RAB had become nationally and internationally controversial and questioned due to enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and torture cells under fascist governments. He reminded the House that all political parties had promised before elections to abolish RAB.

“RAB is a symbol of fascism. It should be abolished. If a specialised unit is to be formed, it must first be discussed in detail in parliament,” he said.