Govt should radically reform RAB or disband it: HR Watch

Elite force Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) should either ensure its accountability or be disbanded, Human Rights Watch made the suggestion to the Bangladesh government, reports UNB. The government should either take major steps towards making RAB accountable and reform the elite force within the next six months or disband it, said the New York-based Human Rights Watch in a report released Tuesday. Meanwhile, the RAB headquarters termed the Human Rights Watch report as baseless and one sided. RAB's Director (Legal and Media Wing) Commander Sohail said the elite force has been working under the law of the land and within the legal framework. "We're not above the law." Brad Adams, Asia director of the Human Rights Watch, said: "After two years in office, the government has had more than enough time to take action to stop RAB's murderous practices." He said: "A death squad is roaming the streets and the government does not appear to be doing anything to stop it. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina needs to act." The report mentioned that nearly 200 people have been killed in RAB operations since January 6, 2009, when the grand alliance government assumed office. While in opposition, the Awami League promised to end extrajudicial killings, but since it took office senior government officials have denied that RAB has committed abuses, and some have even justified them, the report said. Although the government has made many commitments to end the extrajudicial killings and to punish the perpetrators, no RAB officer or official has ever been prosecuted for a "crossfire" killing or other human rights abuse, the report claimed, terming crossfire as a blanket term used to justify most of the killings. The rights watch dog asked the donors like the United States, United Kingdom and Australia to immediately withdraw all assistance and cooperation until and unless there are dramatic improvements as it suggested. RAB, formed in 2004 during the then BNP-Jama'at alliance government, is a conglomerate of members from police, armed forces and other law enforcing agencies. Talking to UNB, RAB spokesman Commander Sohail said they did not receive the Human Rights Watch report officially. He said: "We read the report and found it absolutely baseless and one sided." Commander Sohail further said: "We think the report has been prepared purposefully to tarnish the image of the elite force having the highest achievements with regard to counter-terrorism operation and drives against illegal arms, ammunition and drugs." He said: "This is very unfortunate that Human Rights Watch chose to publish such baseless and one sided report without taking the RAB's opinion against the allegations."