More powers for RAB chief requested

The prime minister has received requests for upgrading the position of the chief of the Rapid Action Battalion in the pecking order and for changes in regulations to ensure he has complete control of the elite force.

Liton Haider Chief Crimes Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 28 March 2015, 04:29 PM
Updated : 28 March 2015, 05:11 PM

Sheikh Hasina became the first prime minister to attend the founding day celebrations of the RAB, when she joined the 11th anniversary of the elite force on Saturday.

Besides the usual Darbar, the prime minister met the RAB commanders in intimate consultations, during which proposals for upgrading and the strengthening the force were raised.

RAB's Additional Director General (ADG) Colonel Ziaul Ahsan told bdnews24.com that the RAB rank and file received a major boost to their morale as a result of the prime minister's participation in the anniversary.

"She has listened as a guardian to all that we had to say with great patience and promised necessary action," Colonel Ahsan said.

One RAB official, on condition of anonymity, told bdnews24.com that they asked the prime minister to consider a uniform system for redressal for all RAB personnel.

"A suggestion was also made to treat the RAB chief at par with the police chief and a government secretary."

At the moment, the RAB chief is at par with the additional IGP and additional secretary in civil bureaucracy in the warrants of precedence.

The RAB is made up of personnel inducted from different forces including the army and police.

"If any RAB personnel stand accused of indiscipline or criminal conduct, we have to revert them to their parent forces. Some can go to court and redeem themselves but some cannot even go to court because their parent service does not permit that," said a senior RAB official.

So the Prime Minister was asked to consider a uniform service conduct regulation for all RAB personnel and the chief of the force entrusted with ultimate authority to decide their fate.

At the moment, if a RAB official stands accused of criminal conduct or indiscipline, he is send back to his parent force and tried under its regulations.

The RAB officials also requested the prime minister to consider separate budget allocation for the force.

She was also briefed about the 20 percent shortfall in personnel, officers and other ranks alike.

The officials also told her that most of those inducted into the force were not specifically trained for the tasks ordained for it -- and that needs to be addressed to improve performance.

The officials also requested the Prime Minister to let the RAB chief have a say in recruitment.

"Many who join RAB get specialist training, sometimes even in other countries. But because they are transferred soon after, within a year and a half, the force often does not get the benefit of their expertise," said one RAB official.

Some officials suggested to the prime minister that the RAB chief should have powers to ensure the specially trained personnel can serve the force for at least four years.

The RAB officials got to meet the prime minister for two hours at their headquarters starting from 12pm Saturday.

Earlier, the prime minister told them during the celebrations that regardless of which force they came from, they will have to uphold the values of RAB as long as they were serving this force.

"You need to be sincere when you serve this force. You have to fulfil the responsibility entrusted to you by your commanders and follow the regulations of the force you are serving," Sheikh Hasina said.

RAB chief Benazir Ahmed stressed the need to improve aerial and marine capabilities of the force and highlighted the need to induct latest weaponry and technology.

"The prime minister is keen to modernise the RAB and we are sure she will take necessary steps in that direction," Colonel Ziaul Ahsan said.