Lt Gen (Retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, the Home Affairs Adviser, has instructed that the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) should not be used for political purposes.
He gave this directive during a meeting with senior RAB officials at the RAB headquarters in Uttara, Dhaka, on Tuesday.
The adviser emphasized that RAB was initially established with a commitment that it would not be used for political ends, a principle that has not been adhered to in recent years.
He said that there is a strong public perception that the misuse of RAB for political objectives has led to its involvement in illegal activities, including enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings.
Lt Gen Chowdhury highlighted that RAB was once a disciplined and well-regarded force, gaining public trust and respect through the deployment of top officers from the police and armed forces.
However, he pointed out that political influence in the recruitment and posting within RAB has eroded the integrity of the force.
He urged that RAB's lost glory and honor could be restored through love, proper conduct, and performance, stressing the importance of operating within the law.
He instructed that illegal orders from higher authorities must not be followed, unauthorized detentions must cease, and the force must steer clear of extrajudicial actions such as crossfire, enforced disappearances, and killings.
The meeting was attended by RAB Director General AKM Shahidur Rahman and other officials of the force, who briefed the adviser on various activities of RAB.
