To ensure accountability in the police force and establish a people-friendly policing system, the Police Reform Commission has recommended reassessing the necessity of RAB (Rapid Action Battalion) by reviewing its past activities and allegations of human rights violations.
The Police Reform Commission, led by Safar Raj Hossain, submitted its recommendations to Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on Wednesday.
These recommendations include the reassessment of RAB.
The commission strongly recommended empowering the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to directly investigate allegations of human rights violations by members of law enforcement agencies.
It also suggested that when allegations of human rights violations are made against law enforcement agencies or their instigation, the head of the concerned agency should be empowered to order an investigation.
For this purpose, the commission recommended establishing a functional Human Rights Cell at the headquarters of each law enforcement agency.
The report emphasized that accused individuals must not be presented to the media unless proven guilty.
If human rights are violated due to police disregarding the Constitution, laws, or court directives, a new helpline should be launched, or such cases should be included in the services provided by the 999 emergency line to offer immediate remedies.
The commission also called for enacting a Witness and Victim Protection Act to ensure safety and security for victims and witnesses, contributing to a people-centric policing system.
Additionally, the report recommended identifying and punishing, through proper legal processes, police officers responsible for killing or injuring students and citizens during the July-August uprisings.