BNP proposes dissolution of RAB

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has proposed the dissolution of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) to the government’s Police Reform Committee, mentioning the allegations of human rights violations and extrajudicial killing against it.

BNP Vice-Chairman Major (Retd) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed Bir Bikram came up with the proposal at a press conference at the party chairperson’s office in Gulshan on Tuesday.

“The United States has already imposed sanctions on RAB due to human rights violations. The UN Human Rights Committee also has a negative attitude towards it” he said.

Though the government’s police reform committee did not seek any proposal from the BNP, we submitted a proposal voluntarily. Reform of this essential service of the state (police) is now the demand of time. The BNP also proposed to form a police commission.”

Major (Retd) Hafiz said the proposal highlighted the need to form a police commission to provide proper guidance, advise and support to the police force. The chairman of the commission will be the chairman of the parliamentary committee on home affairs.

A retired Supreme Court judge will serve as the chairman of the committee for the interim period. The government will issue regulations to determine the method of selecting members of the commission, scope of work, and term of office, BNP mentioned in the proposal.