RAB applies force only where necessary: RAB DG

Outgoing director general (DG) of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun today said the force has applied only where it was necessary.

“We usually apply force where it is necessary but no force has applied unnecessarily,” he, also the newly appointed Inspector General of Police (IGP), said while exchanging views with the journalists at RAB Media Centre in city’s Karwan Bazar, reports BSS.

Mamun said the anti-crime elite force has been working to keep the law and order situation normal, adding, “The RAB is used only when necessary. If not, I don't. When the criminals attack on RAB then it resists. The RAB never crosses its legal limit. But criminals are extremely aggressive in attacking.”

Replying to a question about the role of the police in the upcoming elections and allegations for ruling party’s favour, he said during the election time, members of the police force work under the direction of the election commission (EC).

According to the EC instructions, the law enforcers use to follow the long-standing practice, the newly appointed IGP said.

Asking about the US sanctions on the Director General of RAB and pressure as the Police Chief, he said that the ministry of home and foreign affairs are working on it.

On April 15, 2020, he took the charge of the RAB during the coronavirus pandemic. Ensuring lockdown announced by the government and keeping the law and order situation under control was a big challenge for the RAB forces, Mamun said.

“At that time, family members left COVID-19 affected patient, but the RAB members stood by the side of the affected people and extended their hands of services to them. RAB has arranged advanced treatment in the capital by bringing affected patients from the remote areas by its helicopter,” he added.

The outgoing DG said with the highest professionalism, RAB won trust of the people by working continuously to control the law and order situation, suppressing radical militancy and terrorism, curbing drugs abuse.

The RAB arrested more than 800 militants of various organizations and brought them under the book during the last two years, he said, adding, “The RAB offered unconditional surrender to the militants through deradicalization and to rehabilitate misguided militants into the normal life.”

Mamun said the Sundarbans is now freed from the bandits as 328 people from 32 bandits gangs so far surrendered in the face of vigorous operation by RAB forces.

In continuation of this, 77 people of 12 pirate groups of Banshkhali, Maheshkhali, Kutubdia regions of Chattogram area have surrendered with a large number of weapons and huge quantity of ammunition, he added.

The RAB so far arrested a total of 36,000 drug dealers during its tenure and seized drugs worth about Tk. 2300 crore. Apart from bringing the drug dealers under the law, the RAB took measures to eliminate drugs by involving common people by creating social awareness.

The RAB arrested about 2000 terrorists and recovered more than 3000 illegal weapons from their possessions during the time.

Besides, more than 800 human traffickers have been arrested. Fugitives involved in the August 21 grenade attack, including a fugitive accused in a war crime case, have also been arrested and produced before the court.

Necessary steps have been taken by increasing RAB's round-the-clock cyber vigilance to curb cyber crime, the outgoing RAB DG added.