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The Rapid Action Battalion (; abbreviated as RAB) was a law enforcement agency in Bangladesh tasked with combating organised crime and terrorism. Operating under the Ministry of Home Affairs, RAB was a composite force comprising personnel from the Police, Army, Navy, Air Force, and intelligence agencies.
Since its establishment in 2004, RAB has played a key role in counter-terrorism, anti-drug operations, and high-profile criminal investigations, but it has faced criticism from human rights groups for their alleged involvement in extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances. It is estimated that between 2004 and 2008, RAB had killed 1,062 people.
In August 2026, the Ministry of Home Affairs proposed to replace it with the Special Response Battalion under the Special Response Battalion (SRB) Act, 2026. It was officially dissolved by a government gazette notification on 15 September 2026, leading to the formation of Special Response Battalion.
History 2003–2008 The 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 the Armed Forces Battalion Ordinance 1979, which provides immunity to RAB officers for actions taken in the course of their duty. Each RAB battalion is commanded by an Assistant Inspector General of Police - AIGP (SP - SG) or an equivalent officer from other forces. RAB cannot file cases with the courts themselves, but they can forward the cases to Bangladesh Police, who can file the case with the courts. RAB is composed of personnel from Bangladeshi military and law enforcement agencies who return to their own units after their 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 since 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 the 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, a 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 Chhatra 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, but later, evidence showed that his body had 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 28 May, Moshin Sheikh, and Ali Jinnah, students of Dhaka Polytechnic Institute, were killed in crossfire by RAB. On 22 October, F. M. Masum, a reporter of the New Age, was beaten up 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 be beaten for working for Nurul Kabir, editor of 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 due to crossfire. On 13 November, Lutfar Rahman Khalashi, and Khairul Huq Khalashi, two brothers and businessmen, were detained by RAB from Narayanganj District. Their family organised a press conference and protest asking that they not be killed in a crossfire. They were killed in a crossfire on 16 November. the Bangladesh High Court expressed concern over the death of the two brothers.
On 3 February, Mohiuddin Arif, a technician at Apollo Hospital Dhaka was detained and tortured in custody by RAB. He later died from injuries. Azad Hussein Pappu, and Abdus Sattar were detained on 27 February and killed the next day due to crossfire by RAB on 28 February 2010. On 22 March 2010, Bangladesh Police stopped a photo exhibition on deaths by RAB at Drik Picture Library by Shahidul Alam.
Mohammad Rafiqul Islam, a salesman and member of extremist Allahr Dol, was forcibly disappeared by RAB in February. RAB detained the Asian Human Rights Commission representative, William Gomes, and tortured him at their headquarters on 21 May 2011. Limon Hossain, a 16-year-old student of Jhalokati College, was shot by RAB and his leg was amputated on 23 March 2011. Hossain was assaulted by informants of RAB on 20 August 2012. Rasal Ahmed Bhutto, was detained on 3 March and killed due to crossfire a week later. On 4 November 2011, Colonel Zulfiqar Ali Majumder led members of his unit, Rapid Action Battalion-7, to Talsara Darbar Sharif and robbed the compound keeping the pir at gunpoint. They stole 27 million BDT from the shrine. Four months later, a driver of the shrine sued 10 members of Rapid Action Battalion and two informants for the robbery.
On 5 March 2012, RAB told Mohammad Imam Hassan's family members that they rescued him and demanded a bribe for his release. Despite a bribe being paid, he has not been seen since then.
On 11 May 2013, Mohammad Fokhrul Islam, a businessman, was the victim of enforced disappearance by RAB. His family members were warned by RAB with enforced disappearance not to talk about the issue. On 27 November 2013, Saiful Islam Hiru, former MP and politician of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, and Mohammad Humayun Kabir Parvez, a politician, disappeared after being detained by RAB led by Lieutenant Colonel Tareque Sayeed. RAB was involved in the enforced disappearance of Adnan Chowdhury, a politician of Bangladesh Nationalist Party, on 5 December. The police refused to take a case from Chowdhury's father, which mentioned RAB.
In Narayanganj, rogue RAB-11 officers led by Lieutenant Colonel Tareque Sayeed abducted and killed seven men in April 2014.
On 10 March 2015, RAB vehicles were seen when Salahuddin Ahmed, a politician of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party was a victim of forced disappearances by law enforcement agencies.
In March 2017, Intelligence Wing chief Lieutenant Colonel Abul Kalam Azad was killed in a bomb blast in Sylhet while raiding an ISIS hideout.
2018–2023 RAB detained three business partners of Major General Tarique Ahmed Siddique, the defence advisor to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in January 2019. One of whom, retired Army captain Johirul Haque Khandaker, died eight months later in custody. Human Rights Watch described the detention as the result of a business dispute.
A cyber unit of RAB-3 identified Ahmed Kabir Kishore, Mushtaq Ahmed, Didarul Bhuiyan, activist, and Minhaz Mannan Emon as targets for publishing cartoons critical of the government and charged under the Digital Security Act in May 2020. They had been victims of enforced disappearance before being officially detained. Ahmed died in custody, where Kishore alleged they were tortured.
In 2021, Al Jazeera released a documentary called All the Prime Minister's Men in which the brother of the then Chief of Army, General Aziz Ahmed, bragged about RAB as his personal gangsters and thugs who make money for him and them through detentions.
In 2021, RAB manufactured and started using OIVS device to nab criminals.
In August 2022, Lieutenant Colonel Mohammad Ismail Hossain, air wing director, died after being injured in a helicopter crash. On 30 September, Director General of RAB, Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, was promoted and appointed Inspector General of Bangladesh Police. Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun was under sanctions by the United States for human rights violations.
In 2023, Deutsche Welle published a documentary titled "Inside the Death Squad," which delved into the allegations of human rights abuses and extrajudicial killings committed by the RAB.
2024–2026 In November 2024, after the fall of Sheikh Hasina regime, it was reported that RAB was considering changing the unit's name, logo, and uniform.
In March 2025, RAB arrested Ataullah abu Ammar Jununi, commander of the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, along with five other terrorists in Narayanganj.
In May 2025, RAB ASP Palash Saha was mysteriously killed inside a RAB field office in Chittagong.
In June 2025, four men in RAB uniform stole nearly $100,000 worth of jackets in Uttara, Dhaka.
In August 2026 the ministry of home affairs have dissolved and replace it with Special Response Battalion.
Location
RAB also has 15 battalions spread all over the country. Among them, 5 are located in Dhaka. The units are located as follows: +Battalion NameBattalion HQJurisdictionRAB-1Uttara, DhakaDhakshinkhan, Uttar Khan, Turag, Uttara, Dhaka Airport, Gulshan, Banani, Bhatara, Rupganj, Khilkhet, GazipurRAB-2Agargaon, DhakaTejgaon, Mohammadpur, Adabar, Dhanmondi, Kalabagan, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, New Market, HazaribaghRAB-3Tikatuli, DhakaMotijheel, Mugda, Shahjahanpur, Paltan, Khilgaon, Sabujbagh, Rampura, Hatirjheel, Shahbag, RamnaRAB-4Mirpur, DhakaMirpur, Shah Ali, Pallabi, Darus Salam, Kafrul, Bhashantek, Cantonment, Savar, Ashulia, Dhamrai, ManikganjRAB-5Kashiadanga, RajshahiRajshahi, Chapai Nawabganj, Natore, Naogaon, JoypurhatRAB-6Labanchara, KhulnaKhulna, Bagerhat, Satkhira, Jashore, Narail, Magura, Jhenaidah, GopalganjRAB-7Patenga, ChattogramChattogram, Feni, Khagrachhari, RangamatiRAB-8Rupatali, BarishalBarisal Division, Shariatpur, MadaripurRAB-9South Surma, SylhetSylhet Division, BrahmanbariaRAB-10Keraniganj, DhakaDemra, Jatrabari, Shyampur, Kadamtali, Sutrapur, Wari, Kotwali, Lalbagh, Kamrangirchar, Chowkbazar, Bangsal, Gendaria, Dohar, Nawabganj, Keraniganj, Sirajdikhan, Louhajang, Sreenagar, Rajbari, FaridpurRAB-11Siddhirganj, NarayanganjLakshmipur, Noakhali, Cumilla, Chandpur, Narayanganj, Tongibari, Gazaria, Munshiganj SadarRAB-12Salanga, SirajganjSirajganj, Pabna, Bogura, Kushtia, Meherpur, ChuadangaRAB-13Kotwali, RangpurRangpur DivisionRAB-14MymensinghMymensingh, Kishoreganj, Tangail, Raomari, Char RajibpurRAB-15Cox's BazarCox's Bazar, Bandarban
Ranks and insignia RAB is composed of officers and troops from Bangladesh Police and the Bangladesh Armed Forces. It was necessary to attribute a common rank insignia to RAB badges. Such insignia can be seen in the illustrations below.
Directors General Name Image Took office Left office Tenure 1 Anwarul Iqbal 2 Abdul Aziz Sarkar 3 Khoda Baks Chowdhury 4 SM Mizanur Rahman 5 Baharul Alam 6 Hasan Mahmud Khandaker 7 Md. Mokhleshur Rahman 8 Benazir Ahmed 9 Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun 10 M Khurshid Hossain 11 Md. Harun Ur Rashid 12 AKM Shahidur Rahman 15 March 2026 13Md. Ahsan Habib Palash16 March 202610 September 2026
Notable arrests The following is a table containing details of major arrests by the RAB according to their official website: