Desk Report: The United Nations (UN) has issued a report calling for significant reforms within Bangladesh’s security forces. Released on February 12 by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the report recommends the disbanding of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and the redeployment of its personnel, excluding those involved in serious violations, back to their original units.
The UN also proposes that the Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) be restricted solely to border control duties and that the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) be limited to military intelligence functions. Additionally, the OHCHR calls for the demilitarization of Ansar/VDP units where they perform law enforcement roles.
In line with these recommendations, the UN has called for an immediate ban on nominating personnel from RAB, DGFI, or the Dhaka Metropolitan Police Detective Branch (DB) for UN peacekeeping missions. It also suggests barring BGB members involved in suppressing the 2024 protests or past human rights violations from peacekeeping duties.
To curb the use of excessive force during public protests, the UN urges the immediate cessation of metal shot and other lethal ammunition in crowd control efforts. It also recommends that such ammunition be restricted to military and paramilitary forces only. Furthermore, the OHCHR calls for an end to mass arrests and the creation of unsubstantiated suspect lists during security crackdowns.
The UN recommends the establishment of a national police commission, comprising members from the government, opposition, and civil society, to oversee police recruitment, promotions, transfers, and removals. This independent body should be separate from the Home Ministry and Bangladesh Police command structure to ensure impartiality.
Other recommendations include the creation of an independent program to prevent torture and monitor detention facilities, alongside a call for Bangladesh to consider joining the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture.
The UN also highlights the need for strict regulations on the use of armed forces for internal security, reserving such deployments for exceptional situations. Any military involvement should be short-term, require parliamentary approval, remain under civilian law enforcement command, and be fully transparent regarding tasks and rules of engagement.