ZCZC
BSS-43
ANNIVERSARY-RAB-TOMORROW
RAB’s 16th founding anniversary tomorrow
DHAKA, March 25, 2020 (BSS) – Tomorrow is the 16th founding anniversary of the anticrime elite force Rapid Action Battalion (RAB).
President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages greeting the members of the RAB on the occasion.
The President, in his message, lauded the professional efficiency, expertise and devotion of the RAB members in improving the law and order situation and ensuring the security and safety of the people.
The force, in the meantime, occupied a firm position among the people as a symbol of confidence and dependence in maintaining the law and order across the country, Abdul Hamid observed.
“I am recalling the contribution of RAB members, who embraced martyrdom in maintaining the law and order situation of the country, with profound respect,” the President mentioned.
RAB members have attained an outstanding success and fame by their contributions to conducting countrywide drive against terrorists and notorious criminals, nabbing militants, rooting out extremists, recovering illegal arms and explosives, and carrying out steps to prevent social and moral degradations like corruption, he added.
President Hamid said the RAB members have been playing a very significant role by ensuring necessary security of lives and livelihoods in coastal belts, conducting drives against the pirates in the Sundarbans areas and preserving biodiversity there as well.
Noting that the RAB members should be skilled in using the modern technology to combat the crimes, the head of the state said the force members must uphold the existing laws and rules of the country as well as the Constitution in line with the people’s fundamental rights and democracy.
The President also asked the RAB members to serve the citizens by working with honesty, devotion, efficiency and professionalism.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in her message, praised the RAB members for their leading role against corruption, terrorism, religious extremism, illegal drug trade, use of firearms and its trading, violence against women, and children, health-hazardous adulterated food items, leakage of question papers and other anti-social crimes in the country.
“Since its inception, the RAB has been playing a very important role in maintaining the law and order, and ensuring public security and sustainable development with patriotism, responsibility, professionalism, honesty and dedication”, she said.
The prime minister reiterated different steps taken by her government for making the force a modern law enforcement agency.
Sheikh Hasina hoped that the RAB members, being imbued with the spirit of Liberation War, would continue its efforts to build a non-communal, developed and self-reliant Bangladesh envisioned by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
She also greeted the RAB members on the occasion and prayed for the eternal peace of the departed souls of the RAB members who had to sacrifice their valuable lives in different times since.
With a view to fighting terrorism, the RAB was formed on March 26 in 2004 and it started operation on July 21 the same year.
This year’s programme was curtailed in the wake of coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in Bangladesh, a RAB spokesman said.
The elite security force came to the limelight when it arrested Pichchi Hannan, one of the 23 most-wanted criminals, on June 26, 2004.
BVSs/ASG/SIR/KU/1939 HRS