RAB didn’t use lethal weapons during student protests: Spokesman

Lt Col Munim Ferdous, the director of the elite force’s Law and Media Wing claimed that RAB did not use any kind of ‘lethal weaponry’ during the student movement protests’.

He further said that ‘not a single member of the Rapid Action Battalion has ‘gone into hiding’ since the fall of the Awami League government in the face of the Anti-discrimination Student Movement protests.

Ferdous made the remarks during a press conference at the RAB Media Centre in Dhaka’s Karwan Bazar on Sunday.

“No members of RAB fled or went into hiding after Aug 5. None of them went on a work stoppage either.

“As you know, RAB is a composite force. Our members are assigned here from about eight forces. Of these, about 44 percent of personnel came from the police. The majority of personnel here are from the police. Almost 50 percent or half. RAB is a small force. A force of about 10,000, give or take. Of this 10,000 personnel, 44 percent are from the police.

“Just as we were together in the beginning, we stood by each other until the end. Many have faced various issues, but our RAB forces have never had any problems.”

After the fall of the Awami League government on Aug 5, 187 members of the police at various levels have not yet rejoined their workplaces, according to police headquarters. Like RAB, the BGB also says that none of their members are missing.