Armed Police Battalion

Specialised unit of the Bangladesh Police

Law enforcement agency

Armed Police Battalion
আর্মড পুলিশ ব্যাটালিয়ন

Insignia of Armed Police Battalion

Abbreviation| APBn
Motto| অপরাজেয়
Unbeatable
Agency overview
Formed| 1 October, 1975; 49 years ago (1975)
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdiction| Bangladesh
Governing body| Ministry of Home Affairs
Constituting instrument|

* The Armed Police Battalion Ordinance, 1979

General nature|

* Military police

Operational structure
Headquarters| APBn Complex, Uttara, Dhaka
Elected officer responsible|

* Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, Minister of Home Affairs

Agency executive|

* Abdullah Al Mahmood, Additional Inspector General of Police

Parent agency| Bangladesh Police
Facilities
Battalions| 12 battalion
Armored vehicles| Otokar Cobra, IAG Guardian, STREIT Typhoon
Helicopters| Bell 407
Website
www.rab.gov.bd, apbn.police.gov.bd
Service uniform: Yankees Blue, Light French Beige

Combat uniform: Dolphin Gray, Pale Spring Bud, Indigo, Royal Brown

The Armed Police Battalion is a specialised combat unit of the Bangladesh Police.[1][2] It is headquartered in Dhaka.[3] The unit has 11 battalions under its command and the Special Security and Protection Battalion has two battalions.[4] Airport Armed Police Battalion is responsible for protecting the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.[5]

## History

[edit]

The Armed Police Battalion was formed on 1 October 1975 as a specialized force of the Bangladesh Police through The Armed Police Battalion Ordinance 1979.[6][4][7] Rapid Action Battalion was created under the same ordinance in 2006 through the Armed Police Battalions (Amendment) Act, 2003.[8] Armed Police Battalion-6 was established in 1976 in Barisal originally as a river battalion.[6] Armed Police Battalion-4 was raised in 1979 in Bogura.[6]

On 1 October 1981, the Armed Police Battalion-9 was established.[6] It was moved to Khagrachar in 1987.[6] It was moved to Barisal in 1989, Bilaichari in 1993, Khulna in 1996, Mohalchari in 2000, Uttara in 2003, and finally settled in Chittagong on 5 October 2009.[6]

Armed Police Battalion-3 was established 17 July 2006 in Khulna.[6]

In June 2010, Armed Police Battalion was deployed to Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.[9]

On 21 June 2011 Armed Police Battalion launched its first all women personal unit.[10] On 26 December, Special Security and Protection Battalion was established to provide security to VIPs of the government and foreign diplomats.[6]

Officers from the Armed Police Battalion have received training at the National Security Guard Centre in India as a part of a government plan in the aftermath of the July 2016 Dhaka attack to form a commando units in every police range and metropolitan area in Bangladesh.[11]

In January 2019, sub-inspector of Armed Police Battalion-7 was arrested in Sylhet for operating a child prostitution ring with 12 year old girls.[12]

### Rohingya camps

[edit]

In July 2020, Armed Police Battalion was tasked with providing security in Rohingya refugee camps in Cox's Bazar District and reduce crimes committed by the refugees.[13][14] Two special battalions, Armed Police Battalion-14 and Armed Police Battalion-16, were created for the task with 1176 personnel.[13] Armed Police Battalion-14 was established in 2016 and Armed Police Battalion-16 was established in 2019.[13][15] The unit has faced accusations of violating human rights at the camp by the refugees and in a report by the Human Rights Watch.[16] The accusations against the Armed Police Battalion included extortion, and torture.[17][18][19]

In January 2023, the government of Bangladesh announced plans to deploy Armed Police Battalion-18, Armed Police Battalion-19, and Armed Police Battalion-20 in Chittagong Hill Tracts in camps vacated by Bangladesh Army under the Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord.[20]

## Units

[edit]

1. Armed Police Battalion-1 at Uttara.[6]
2. Armed Police Battalion-2 at Muktagachha, Mymensingh[6]
3. Armed Police Battalion-3 in Khulna[6]
4. Armed Police Battalion-4 in Bogura[6]
5. Armed Police Battalion-5 at Uttara[6]
6. Armed Police Battalion-6 in Barisal[6]
7. Armed Police Battalion-7 at Uttara[6]
8. Armed Police Battalion-8 at Uttara[6]
9. Armed Police Battalion-9 in Chittagong[6]
10. Armed Police Battalion-10 at Mohalchhari in Khagrachhari[6]
11. Armed Police Battalion-11 (women) at Uttara[6]
12. Special Security and Protection Battalion-1and 2, Uttara[6]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Now Moulvibazar under grip of terror". Dhaka Tribune. 30 March 2017. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
2. ^ "Little progress in police reform". The Daily Star. 4 January 2012. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
3. ^ "Sagar-Runi murder: Kamal 'uninformed' about current status of investigation". Dhaka Tribune. 10 February 2017. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
4. ^ a b "Bangladesh Police". police.gov.bd. Archived from the original on 19 May 2017. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
5. ^ Report, Star Online (4 October 2019). "2,280 yaba pills recovered from man's stomach". The Daily Star. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t "Units Armed Police Battalion (APBN)". Bangladesh Police. Archived from the original on 14 March 2023. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
7. ^ "Law and Our Rights". archive.thedailystar.net. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
8. ^ Huda, Muhammad Nurul. "Rapid Action Battalion: Rationale and reality". The Daily Star. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
9. ^ Sarkar, Kailash (1 June 2010). "Armed police to be deployed at airport from today". The Daily Star. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
10. ^ "First all-female armed cop unit launched". The Daily Star. 22 June 2011. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
11. ^ "Police form new anti-terror teams". The Daily Star. 11 February 2017. Retrieved 31 March 2017.
12. ^ "Cop arrested over child prostitution". The Daily Star. 28 January 2019. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
13. ^ a b c Jinnat, Mohammad Ali; Khan, Mohammad Jamil (2 July 2020). "Armed police battalions take charge of Rohingya camps in Cox's Bazar". The Daily Star. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
14. ^ Khan, Mohammad Jamil (27 August 2019). "Curbing Rohingya Crimes: New police unit on cards". The Daily Star. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
15. ^ Khan, Mohammad Jamil (23 February 2020). "New armed police to start working in Cox's Bazar". The Daily Star. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
16. ^ Islam, Zyma; Yousuf, Mostafa (18 January 2023). "Rohingyas accuse APBn of abuse". The Daily Star. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
17. ^ "Police running riot in Rohingya refugee camps?". The Daily Star. 18 January 2023. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
18. ^ "Bangladesh police accused of abusing Rohingya refugees – DW – 08/19/2023". dw.com. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
19. ^ "Bangladesh: Rampant Police Abuse of Rohingya Refugees". Human Rights Watch. 17 January 2023. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
20. ^ Khan, Mohammad Jamil (12 January 2023). "Mountain police for CHT on cards". The Daily Star. Retrieved 11 September 2023.