Amid widespread discussion and criticism, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), which was dissolved by official gazette notification, has officially begun operations under the new name "Special Response Battalion" (SRB).

The head of the force, Ahsan Habib Palash, announced that the unit would begin functioning under its new name starting Wednesday, September 16.

"A gazette has been issued under the name SRB. We have changed RAB's name to SRB and started all operations under this name starting today," he said.

In the invitation letters for a press conference called on this day, the logo used by the force features "SRB Bangladesh" in place of "RAB," though the design of the logo remains unchanged.

The new logo was also seen in press releases issued by various units of the force.

On September 10, a bill to dissolve RAB and form a new specialized unit under the police force named the Special Response Battalion (SRB) was passed in the national parliament.

Following the issuance of a gazette notification on Tuesday, it took legal effect. The force commenced its operations under the new name just a day later.

RAB was originally formed on March 26, 2004, during the tenure of the BNP-Jamaat alliance government.

While it subsequently gained recognition for its role in maintaining law and order, it also faced persistent demands for its dissolution over allegations of extrajudicial killings and human rights violations.

On December 10, 2021, the United States imposed sanctions on RAB and seven of its officials over allegations of serious human rights violations.

Following the July mass uprising, a police administration reform committee formed by the BNP demanded the dissolution of RAB on December 10, 2024.

In continuation of this process, the government has restructured and redefined the scope of the force, maintaining it in the field under the name Special Response Battalion, or SRB.