Prime Minister Tarique Rahman chaired the 18th meeting of the incumbent cabinet, held at the Cabinet Division of the Bangladesh Secretariat. Photo: PMO

DHAKA, Aug 24, 2026 (BSS) — The Cabinet today approved a draft law proposing expanded authorities of Armed Police Battalion (APBn), empowering it to combat terrorism, human and drug trafficking and rape.

A cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman gave the final approval to the proposed Armed Police Battalion (APBn) Act 2026 empowering the unit with some extra authorities by scrapping an ordinance framed in 1979 to form the special police unit.

The meeting was the 18th of the incumbent cabinet, held at the Cabinet Division conference room at Bangladesh Secretariat this afternoon.

According to a Cabinet Division statement, the Home Ministry drafted the proposed law aimed to make the unit more people-friendly while “retaining the validity of actions” taken under the existing ordinance.

 The new law would empower the unit to investigate criminal offences and conduct related proceedings, subject to the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) and other prevailing laws.

It also proposed provisions to constitute special and summary courts and procedures for conducting trials.

It said APBn would continue to operate under the Police and be headed by an additional inspector general of police.

The proposed law also entrusted the battalion with duties of maintaining public security, providing security to VIPs and government-declared installations and assisting other law enforcement agencies. 

The Cabinet gave final approval to the draft subject to vetting by the Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Law Ministry.