Former Army Chief General Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan has called for the immediate dissolution of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI). He made the remarks on Monday while testifying before International Crimes Tribunal-1 in a case concerning enforced disappearances and killings against Ziaul Ahsan. Bhuiyan stated that if RAB cannot be dissolved, military officers should be withdrawn from the force and returned to the army.

In his testimony, Bhuiyan said DGFI had lost its legitimacy after fostering what he described as a culture of misconduct. He recounted that during his tenure, he faced pressure from the government, including phone calls from the prime minister, to assign army officers to RAB, which he resisted due to a shortage of officers. He described his time in service as painful because of RAB’s activities and said he now had the opportunity to complete what he could not do earlier.

Bhuiyan emphasized that acknowledging corruption within the army would not diminish its honor but would instead strengthen its integrity and reputation by ensuring accountability.