Reforms that you speak of, we’re doing all the time, home minister on RAB

Home minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Sunday said that reforms can be initiated after reviewing the US report on Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), reports news agency UNB.

He made the remarks in response to newspersons’ questions after a programme in a Dhaka hotel.

“Reforms – that you speak of – we are doing all the time. We are modernising everything. We are doing what needs to be done,” the home minister said.

“RAB is an elite force; we give them special tasks from time to time. RAB works according to its policy,” he said.

Neither RAB, nor the police go unpunished if they commit punishable offence, the minister said. “Many police and RAB personnel are in jail. We are not exempting anyone,” he added.

The home minister also said, “We are going over the US report. If there’s any mistake, I will definitely look into it.”

US ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas, at an event in Dhaka last Thursday, said that there has been no change in their position regarding the sanctions imposed on RAB.

Haas also said the sanction will remain in place until accountability and reforms of the force are ensured.

On Saturday, newly-appointed Director General of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), M Khurshid Hossain, said that there was no question of reforming the elite force, which has been credited in dealing with militancy and serious crimes in recent years.

“We are not doing anything for which reform is needed. We are working according to rules defined for us. We do not do anything in violation of law. In that case, there is no question of reforms,” he told newspersons while paying tribute to the portrait of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in Dhanmondi-32.

“Sanctions have been imposed, and the government has replied to that through official channel. This is not a challenge (for us),” he said, adding that the elite force would continue to play its role by maintaining law and order and tackling militancy, terrorism and drug.