A draft bill titled the ‘Special Response Battalion (SRB) Act, 2026’ has been published with the aim of abolishing the elite Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and establishing a new specialized unit under Bangladesh Police named the ‘Special Response Battalion (SRB)’. The Ministry of Home Affairs published the draft on its official website on Thursday afternoon (August 6) to invite public feedback and suggestions.
According to the proposed legislation, the new unit will be formed, operated, and controlled to consolidate national internal security and maintain law and order, formally repealing RAB’s previous legal mandate under ‘The Armed Police Battalions Ordinance, 1979’.
The Ministry of Home Affairs stated that the draft law will be refined based on public and stakeholder feedback before being submitted to the Cabinet for approval. Following Cabinet clearance, the bill will be introduced in the National Parliament for final passage and enactment.
Notably, RAB was originally established in 2004 as a specialized police unit primarily tasked with countering top criminals, dangerous felons, and militant groups.
