RAB: An Efficient Mercenary

Khalid Hasan Drobo, 01 Sep 2024

Since its inception, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has received widespread praise for its role in combating terrorism. However, as reports of extrajudicial killings began to surface, their contributions gradually lost their luster. Questions arose about their activities, and the sense of relief in the public mind was replaced by fear. The then-opposition leader Sheikh Hasina raised these concerns in parliament, questioning Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia about RAB’s extrajudicial actions. The Awami League even promised to end extrajudicial killings in its 2008 election manifesto. But after winning the subsequent election and assuming office as Prime Minister, was Sheikh Hasina able to uphold the integrity of her rightful question? The Awami League won the 2008 election and took control of power. But, ironically, as soon as they came to power, the scenario changed. The promised end to extrajudicial killings never materialized; instead, RAB was turned into a political weapon. Thus began the darkest chapter in RAB’s history.

[Note: This is a continuation of the article RAB: BNP’s Worst Mistake?.]

After the Awami League came to power, RAB was transformed into a full-fledged weapon of terror. Political disappearances and killings were allegedly conducted under the direct supervision of the Ministry of Home Affairs. To eliminate political opponents, RAB members were reportedly given monthly targets by higher authorities. As the month drew to a close, disappearances and murders increased to meet these targets! Officers who excelled in this gruesome competition were rewarded with promotions, tickets to “peacekeeping missions,” and other perks.

From 2009 to 2021, human rights organizations reported that at least 3,135 people were killed in “crossfire” with RAB, and 605 people disappeared. The year 2014 saw the highest number of disappearances, most of whom were opposition leaders, activists, or dissidents.

The Bloody Shitalakshya

On April 30, 2014, seven bodies surfaced in the Shitalakshya River. Upon identifying the bodies, it became clear that the murders were politically motivated, aimed at eliminating political opponents. Local Awami League leaders, along with the top three officers of RAB-11 and several others, were accused. After a year-long investigation, the police’s Detective Branch filed charges against 35 individuals, including several RAB-11 members. Subsequently, a court in Narayanganj sentenced former Awami League leader Nur Hossain, the top three RAB officers Tareque Sayeed, Arif Hossain, and Masud Rana, along with 26 others, to death. Notably, Colonel Tareque Sayeed, one of the convicts, was the son-in-law of the concurrent Food and Relief Minister Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya.

The Phone Call Recording

“Hello! I want to speak to the commissioner. I am his (Councilor Ekram’s) wife; hello, hello!…”

The voice on the other end was low. Suddenly, there was the sound of gunfire, followed by a groan. Then another gunshot.

On this side, there were the terrified screams of a woman and children—”Oh Allah!”

From the other side of the phone came the sound of a whistle, sirens, and frantic cursing.”

This was how Teknaf’s Ward No. 3 Councilor Ekramul Haque lost his life in a staged “crossfire” by RAB. For unknown reasons, the trial for this cold-blooded, premeditated murder has been pending for six years.

Aynaghar

Under the Awami League’s rule, RAB’s abductions and torture took on a new dimension. Alongside extrajudicial killings, a detention facility known as the Aynaghar was created through the joint efforts of DGFI and RAB to incarcerate people with opposing ideologies. The Aynaghar was essentially a political prison. Detainees were not allowed to see daylight, nor did fresh air reach them through the slits. They were deliberately served rotten, stale food. There were soundproof cells, windowless rooms, and constant surveillance within the facility. The full mystery of the Aynaghar has yet to be revealed. It is believed that, in addition to each RAB unit’s own Aynaghar, several such death traps have been set up across the country.

Silent Lament

Statistics show that over the past decade, most of RAB’s victims have been political opponents or dissenters. But, for various reasons, these disappearances have often been suppressed in the mainstream narrative. According to human rights organizations, 2014 saw the highest number of disappearances, with a significant number of victims being opposition leaders, activists, or dissenters. In 2016, 195 people were killed by law enforcement, of whom 55 deaths were directly linked to RAB. Human Rights Watch reported 90 cases of enforced disappearances, 21 of whom were later found dead. Furthermore, human rights organization ‘Odhikar’ claims that more than 3,000 people have fallen victim to extrajudicial killings to date.

International Sanctions

RAB’s extrajudicial killings and human rights violations have sparked strong reactions internationally. In 2014, Human Rights Watch labeled RAB as a “death squad,” and various human rights organizations, including the United Nations, condemned RAB’s actions. The United States and the United Kingdom, which had played a crucial role in training RAB during its inception, later expressed strong objections to RAB’s unethical activities. In 2021, the United States imposed sanctions on seven current and former RAB officers. Despite clear evidence of human rights violations, human rights activists have strongly criticized RAB’s participation in UN peacekeeping missions.

Since its inception, RAB has operated as an elite force equipped with modern weaponry. This has made it easier to suppress anarchy, but the consequences of its misuse have been severe. In this dirty game of politics, RAB has lost its reputation for combating terrorism and the trust of the people. International human rights organizations and various governments have repeatedly condemned these actions and called on the Bangladesh government to ensure accountability. Such activities are eroding the common people’s faith in the rule of law and tarnishing Bangladesh’s human rights image on the international stage.