RAB set to be abolished, SRB to take its place

The government has approved a draft law to dissolve the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and establish a new specialised law-enforcement unit, the Special Response Battalion (SRB), under the Bangladesh Police.

The Cabinet gave final approval to the draft Special Response Battalion (SRB) Act, 2026 at its meeting at the Secretariat on Monday, August 17, subject to vetting by the Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division.

Under the proposed law, RAB will be abolished and replaced by the SRB as a specialised unit of the police force.

The new unit will retain broad law-enforcement powers and will be headed by a Director General holding the rank of Additional Inspector General of Police.

The proposed structure will include battalions, companies, platoons and sections, with headquarters in Dhaka and units potentially established across the country.

Personnel may be recruited on deputation from the police and other disciplined forces, subject to relevant laws.

The draft law also proposes a multi-member complaints redress committee to address complaints from citizens regarding the SRB’s activities as well as grievances raised by its own members.

The government had earlier published the draft SRB Act on the Home Ministry’s website for public consultation.

The move to replace RAB with the new unit is part of a broader effort to restructure specialised law-enforcement operations under the Bangladesh Police.