Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) Director General Ahsan Habib has said that any decision regarding the renaming, restructuring, or even the continuation of the elite force rests entirely with the government, although he believes the force remains necessary to maintain law and order in the country.
He made the remarks while speaking to journalists for the first time after assuming office at the RAB Media Centre in Karwan Bazar in the capital on Sunday afternoon.Regarding possible reforms or restructuring of the force, the RAB chief said these are policy decisions to be taken by the government and that there is no need for the force itself to take separate initiatives in this regard. He added that RAB’s current priority is to perform its duties responsibly.
Addressing allegations of human rights violations and other irregularities, Ahsan Habib said such complaints are investigated internally and no one is given leniency if found responsible. He expressed hope that through such measures, the force would gradually be able to overcome the allegations made against it.
Speaking about the necessity of RAB, he said it is a specialised force whose importance cannot be denied. He noted that RAB is essentially a part of the police and works in coordination to maintain overall law and order.
He also mentioned that, contrary to some external perceptions, the force is more organised and structured in practice.
The director general further said there are plans to develop RAB into a professional, humane, and technology-driven force. He expressed confidence that the organisation will continue to play a more effective role in preventing and combating crime in the future.
In response to a question about requests for documents related to crossfire cases, he said RAB would provide maximum cooperation if any agency seeks information in the interest of the judicial process. Information available with the force will be provided in accordance with the law, while authorities will be informed if any requested information is unavailable or beyond RAB’s capacity to provide.Regarding US sanctions on RAB and criticism from local and international human rights organisations, he acknowledged that there may have been some deviations or mistakes at different times since the force’s formation.
However, he said improvements are possible through corrective measures and claimed that RAB’s activities have seen positive changes over the past one and a half years.
Ahsan Habib expressed hope that through consistent good performance, the force would be able to resolve existing controversies and regain public trust in the future.
