Bangladesh law enforcement restructuring

The Bangladesh Parliament has moved to restructure national law enforcement by introducing and subsequently passing the ‘Special Response Battalion (SRB) Bill, 2026’. The legislation proposes the abolition of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and the establishment of the SRB as a new unit under the direct control of the police, inheriting all RAB personnel, assets, and responsibilities.

The bill, introduced by Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, tasks the new unit with combating terrorism, organized crime, narcotics, cybercrime, and human trafficking. During the legislative process, the proposal faced criticism from opposition leaders and the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD). Critics argued the bill merely rebrands the existing force and expressed concern that the SRB’s authority to maintain its own detention centers and interrogation rooms could lead to “a resurgence of human rights violations, including enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings.”

In a recent session of the thirteenth National Parliament, the bill was officially passed via voice vote. Interior Minister Salahuddin Ahmad stated the restructuring is intended to meet evolving societal needs for public safety and order, noting that the previous legal framework under the Armed Police Battalion (APBn) was insufficient for RAB's operations. The SRB will be led by a Director General holding the rank of Additional Inspector General of Police or higher and will include an internal grievance redressal committee to handle member complaints. In addition to the SRB legislation, Parliament passed a bill to expand the investigative powers of the APBn.