Rapid Action Battalion

The entity is currently undergoing a structural transition involving its proposed dissolution and reconstitution as the Special Intervention Force (SIF).

RAB was established under the Armed Police Battalions (Amendment) Act, 2003 (Act XXVII of 2003), amending the 1979 Ordinance; it emerged 26 March 2004 and became operationally active 14 April 2004. It is a composite secondment force drawing personnel from six services (Police, Army, Navy, Air Force, BGB, Ansar) under the operational control of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Public Security Division. Staff strength of ~12,000 is sourced from Bonik Barta reporting; no official gazette figure for RAB alone is publicly available for FY2025-26. The annual_budget_bdt field is null because RAB's specific budget line is not separately published within the Public Security Division allocation; the aggregate MHA allocation for FY2025-26 is Tk 71,737 crore. The 12th DG Ahsan Habib Palash (Additional IGP) was appointed 16 March 2026 and took formal charge 28 March 2026; he is from BCS batch 15 (1995 entry) and previously served as DIG Chattogram Range. The SIF renaming announcement (3 February 2026) has not been formalised by gazette as of 17 May 2026; the force continues to operate as RAB. US OFAC Global Magnitsky sanctions (10 December 2021) designated RAB as an entity and seven officials as individuals; no delisting action has been taken by OFAC under the current or previous US administration. The Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances (final report 5 January 2025) identified 22-23 of 40 documented secret detention facilities as belonging to RAB and recommended abolition; the interim government chose restructuring over dissolution. The draft RAB Law-2024 (accountability statute) is under preparation but has not been tabled in parliament as of the verification date.