Blaming vested quarters for trying to defame the Rapid Action Battalion, its chief yesterday said in the future they would work relentlessly to prevent militancy and criminal activities.
“RAB has achieved trust and appraisal of the ordinary people because of efficiently combating terrorism, militancy, robbery, abduction... On the other hand, RAB has been working actively to maintain peace in the country,” recently-appointed Director General Benazir Ahmed said during its 11th anniversary programme in the city.
Asked whether the force was facing an image crisis, he said: “There are some groups engaged in findings politics in everything to stigmatise the force. It is not our problem.
“Many ordinary people were killed in petrol bomb attacks and violent attacks in the last two months [of non-stop blockade and hartals]. The situation has now improved much...vehicles are operating during the nights too.”
In response to another question, Benazir said: “As RAB is an elite force, it will not be large in size. We do not want to be dependent on our manpower but on high technological supports so that we can complete a task fast.”
On the eve of its anniversary, President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in separate messages greeted all members of the force and wished their continued success.
Since its inception in 2004, the elite force has been facing numerous allegations of extrajudicial killings – mainly in crossfires or gunfights, forced disappearance, unlawful detention and torture. The force has also been criticised for giving an identical version for almost every crossfire or shoot-outs.
The National Human Rights Commission and local and international rights bodies on different occasions criticised RAB personnel for excesses, notably in the case of shooting college student Limon Hossain of Jhalakathi.
The force faced massive criticisms in April last year when some of its top officials were found involved in the contract killing of seven people in Narayanganj.
Meanwhile, the force in its 11 years in operation has successfully arrested many militant leaders, busted criminal dens, and seized large amount of illegal arms and contraband items.