New name, familiar logo as SRB replaces RAB

TDS Desk:

The Rapid Action Battalion has begun operating as the Special Response Battalion (SRB), a day after a gazette notification formalised the change.

The force began working under its new name on Wednesday, according to its chief, Ahsan Habib Palash.

“The gazette notification for the SRB has been issued. We have changed RAB’s name to SRB and begun all operations under the new name from today,” he told.

The change was also reflected in the force’s official communications.

An invitation to a press conference on Wednesday carried its familiar logo, but with “SRB Bangladesh” replacing “RAB”. The design itself remained unchanged.

The new branding also appeared on press releases issued by different units.

Parliament passed legislation on Sept 10 dissolving RAB and creating the SRB as a new specialised unit under the police, despite objections from opposition parties.

The legislation became law following the publication of a gazette notification on Tuesday, paving the way for the force to begin operating under its new identity the following day.

RAB was formed on Mar 26, 2004, during the BNP-Jamaat coalition government.

The force became a prominent part of Bangladesh’s law-enforcement apparatus, but also faced longstanding allegations of extrajudicial killings and other human rights violations that fuelled calls for its abolition.

The United States imposed sanctions on RAB and seven of its current and former officials on Dec 10, 2021, citing serious human rights abuses.

Following the July 2024 mass uprising, a BNP-formed committee on police administration reform called for RAB’s abolition in December 2024.

After taking office, however, the BNP government opted to restructure the force and redefine its responsibilities rather than remove it altogether.