Formed on the 26th of March 2004 the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) is Bangladesh’s primary anti-crime and anti-terrorism elite force. It is equipped with modern weapons, law enforcement equipment, patrol vehicles, helicopters and armoured personnel carriers to perform all types of internal security duties with efficiency.

This elite unit is subordinate to the Ministry of Home Affairs but consists of members drawn from Police, Army, Navy and Air Force.

Their primary missions are to perform:

• Internal security duties.

• Recover unauthorized arms, ammunitions, explosives and such other articles.

• Apprehend armed criminal gangs.

• Assist other law enforcing agencies for maintaining law and order.

• Gather intelligence on criminals and crime syndicates.

• Investigate any offence as per the direction of the government.

Any duties assigned by the government.

At present its manpower strength is 12 battalions.

• Rapid Action Battalion 1 (Dhaka)

• Rapid Action Battalion 2 (Dhaka)

• Rapid Action Battalion 3 (Dhaka)

• Rapid Action Battalion 4 (Dhaka)

• Rapid Action Battalion 5 (Rajshahi

• Rapid Action Battalion 6 (Khulna)

• Rapid Action Battalion 7 (Chittagong)

• Rapid Action Battalion 8 (Barisal)

• Rapid Action Battalion 9 (Sylhet)

• Rapid Action Battalion 10 (Dhaka)

• Rapid Action Battalion 11 (Narayanganj)

• Rapid Action Battalion 12 (Sirajganj)