Bangladesh changes name of RAB to Special Intervention Force

The Bangladesh government has decided to rename the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), moving to rebrand and restructure the elite force amid longstanding concerns over accountability and human rights.

Bangladesh`s Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus has said the safe, voluntary and dignified repatriation of more than one million Rohingya refugees to Myanmar’s Rakhine State remains the only viable and sustainable way to resolve the long-running crisis, urging renewed international action to make it happen.

South Korea and Bangladesh on Monday began a second round of negotiations in Dhaka for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), officials said, following an initial round of talks held in Seoul in August 2025.

The United States and Bangladesh are exploring ways to expand cooperation in the energy sector, with a focus on strengthening supplies, modernising infrastructure and supporting Bangladesh’s growing power demand.

Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma on Sunday said strong India-Bangladesh relations are essential for ensuring sustainable growth and long-term regional stability, stressing that both neighbours can serve as engines for each other’s economic progress.

The United States ambassador to Bangladesh, Brent T Christensen has voiced concern over what he described as “broader Chinese influence” in South Asia, saying Washington remains cautious about Beijing’s expanding footprint in the region.

Bangladesh on Tuesday summoned Myanmar’s ambassador in Dhaka to formally protest a cross-border firing incident that injured a child near the Teknaf frontier.

Bangladesh has reiterated its firm support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Somalia at an extraordinary meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), calling on member states to strongly oppose any actions that undermine international law.

The United Nations has said it will not deploy election observers for Bangladesh’s upcoming parliamentary elections.

Bangladesh is set to resume direct air connectivity with Pakistan as Biman Bangladesh Airlines prepares to relaunch regular flights between Dhaka and Karachi later this month, ending a decade-long suspension of the route.

A wave of condolence messages and high-level visits from India following the death of Bangladesh’s first female prime minister Khaleda Zia has signalled a possible thaw in strained Dhaka–Delhi relations after months of diplomatic tension.

Bangladesh’s interim government has recalled its High Commissioner to India, M Riaz Hamidullah, to Dhaka for consultations as tensions escalate between the two neighbouring countries.

Khaleda Zia, Bangladesh’s first female prime minister and a towering figure in the country’s turbulent political history, has died at the age of 80 after a prolonged illness, party officials and hospital sources said.

Bangladesh has expressed deep concern over what it described as `mass violence` targeting minority communities in India, including Muslims and Christians, and urged Indian authorities to carry out impartial investigations and ensure accountability for those responsible.

The World Bank has approved $150.75 million in additional financing to help Bangladesh expand employment and income opportunities for low-income youth and microentrepreneurs, with a strong focus on women and people living in climate-vulnerable areas.

Bangladesh has suspended visa and consular services in India’s New Delhi, Siliguri and Agartala following protests by Hindu nationalist groups, with officials citing security concerns behind the temporary shutdowns.