Special Response Battalion

Special Response Battalion
Abbreviation	SRB
Agency overview
Formed	2026 (Proposed)
Preceding agency	Rapid Action Battalion
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdiction	Bangladesh
Governing body	Ministry of Home Affairs
Constituting instrument	Special Response Battalion (SRB) Act, 2026 (proposed)
General nature	Gendarmerie
Operational structure
Headquarters	Dhaka, Bangladesh
Parent agency	Bangladesh Police

The Special Response Battalion (SRB) is a proposed specialized law enforcement and internal security unit of the Bangladesh Police. Initiated by the Ministry of Home Affairs under the draft Special Response Battalion (SRB) Act, 2026, the force is designed to completely dissolve and replace the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB).

History

Since its inception in 2004, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) functioned as Bangladesh's primary anti-terrorism and elite crime unit. However, over two decades, RAB faced heavy international and domestic criticism, including U.S. sanctions in 2021, over allegations of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings. Multiple human rights organizations and the United Nations repeatedly recommended dissolving the force.

In August 2026, the Ministry of Home Affairs officially released the draft Special Response Battalion (SRB) Act, 2026 for public consultation. This legislative move transitions the country's elite security framework from a hybrid paramilitary command to a structured, specialized policing unit. Upon the enactment of the bill by the National Parliament, the original legal framework governing RAB will be repealed.