Special Operations.Com

Bangladesh

Special Operations and Counterterrorist Forces

This special unit within the ParaCommandos handles CT duties.

The PSF was a 150-man unit with some CT responsibilities, although it is not known if this unit is still in operations.

JATIO ROKHI BAHAHINI
(1972-1975)
Jatio Rokhi Bahini(JRB) was an elite Para Military Force of Bangladesh founded in 1972. JRB means National Guard Force. JRB was formed by the members of former infamous Mujib Bahini and Kaderia Bahini (a force which fought the Independence War in the Northern Part Bangladesh under Kader Siddiki, an Awami League leader). JRB was founded by the direct command of then Prime Minister Sheikh Mujib, the father of the nation. JRB was not under the Home Ministry like other para military forces nor was it under the Defence Ministry. Instead it was directly under Prime Minister's Office. Members of the JRB were Awami League workers (in the most of the cases) and its leaders were pro-Awami League people. Unfortunately this force did not do any thing when Mujib was killed in 1975.

Mr. Tofail Ahmed , former Leader of Mujib Bhahini, then Political Adviser to Sheikh Mujib , were a leading figure of the JRB. JRB used to wear Indian Army uniform( olive green uniform, at that time Bangladesh Army used the old Khaki uniform as their combined uniform), they used the Indian weapons and their leaders were trained at the Indian Army Battle School at Dheradoon, India .Their final training Institution were at Savar were the Major Reddi, an Indian Army officer were their training Adviser. All these facts were used against JRB and Sheik Mujib. The manpower of the JRB in 1975 was 25,000  JRB was a special security force responsible to fight against Communist terrorist. But they created some occurred situations in the villages for their search operations .They used their JRB status to show power in the other cases. 

Their members was only loyal to Awami League and did not bother to salute any Bangladeshi Military officer equivalent to major. So Bangladesh Army was also against this organization . In one of the cases against JRB members one of the Justices gave a rule against their actions. A convicted murderer also joined this force. JRB failed even in their actions against the communists. As a result the Bangladesh Army was called to fight against the Communists. On 15 August, 1975 when a coup was launched against mujib by the leadership of Major Farook a Bengal Lancer officer and Mujib and his family was brutally killed, JRB surrendered with out a protest. Farook took three tanks (without ammunition) and occupied the Headquarters of the JRB. The JRB officer who was in charge was shaking in his boots.  That was the end of the JRB. 

Farook and the killer President Mostaque ordered unified JRB with the Bangladesh Army . JRB officers joined the Bangladesh Army but most of them proved worst kind of officers. Most of them retired as Majors.  However after Sheik Hasina became the Prime Minister, the daughter of Mujib promoted JRB officers to the rank of Brigadiers and Major Generals.  Although they did not do for Bangladesh Awami League last 25 years. The Director of the Special Security Force (SSF) is also a JRB officer.