By Md. Kamal Uddin
History is never merely a collection of dates, proclamations, or official documents. Within history lie the needs of a particular era, the state’s security concerns, the responsibility to protect human life, and the exceptional leadership of individuals who rise to meet the demands of their time.
The history of Bangladesh’s Armed Police Battalions (APBN) is similarly a multidimensional story.
The development of a specialized armed police force emerged from the need to strengthen and organize the country’s security structure. An important legal foundation for this process was established through The Armed Police Battalions Ordinance, 1979. Issued on 31 March 1979, the Ordinance provided the legal framework for the formation and operation of the Armed Police Battalions.
But a force is not truly born merely through legislation. Its identity is ultimately shaped in the field—in the discharge of duties, in confronting crises, and in protecting the lives and security of people.
And in the early history of APBN, one name stands out prominently: Azizul Haque, then a Deputy Inspector General of Police, who later served as Inspector General of Police of Bangladesh.
Ziaur Rahman: A Significant Era in the Development of the State Security System
Bangladesh was passing through a politically and institutionally challenging period, when strengthening internal security and law-and-order mechanisms was an urgent state necessity.
During the period when President Ziaur Rahman was entrusted with the responsibility of governing the country, considerable emphasis was placed on strengthening the effectiveness of the national security and law-enforcement structure.
The legal foundation of APBN belongs to this broader period of institutional development.
The 1979 Ordinance explicitly provided for the establishment and maintenance of a force known as the Armed Police Battalions.
Looking back from the present day, that period can be understood as an important stage in building the institutional foundation of a specialized force.
Azizul Haque: A Significant Name in APBN’s Early Years
According to the historical information and recollections collected for this documentary, Azizul Haque served in the initial leadership of APBN from 18 April 1980 to 19 July 1980.
This was a formative period when APBN had to move from a legal and administrative framework toward practical operational capability.
A new force.
New responsibilities.
New operational plans.
And, ahead of it, a difficult security environment.
To view Azizul Haque’s role merely as an administrative appointment would be to overlook an important dimension of institutional history. The discipline, leadership culture, operational practices, and sense of responsibility of a new force are often shaped during its earliest days.
In that context, Azizul Haque’s name represents an important chapter in the formative history of APBN.
Bilaichhari: Memories of APBN’s First Chapter in the Hills
Bilaichhari in Rangamati is a region defined by hills, rivers, remote settlements, and challenging geographical conditions.
According to the historical account collected for this documentary, the name of Azizul Haque is associated with the inauguration of the activities of the first APBN battalion at Bilaichhari in the presence of President Ziaur Rahman.
At that time, the Chittagong Hill Tracts were passing through a sensitive period marked by armed conflict and serious security challenges.
For members of the security forces, the difficult terrain, limited communications, remote locations, and armed conflict created exceptionally demanding conditions.
In such circumstances, the responsibility of APBN personnel was not simply to stand with weapons in their hands. Their duties involved protecting state security, maintaining law and order, and safeguarding the lives and security of ordinary citizens.
It is against this backdrop that the contributions of the officers who served during APBN’s formative years deserve to be documented and examined in their historical context.
Ziaur Rahman and Azizul Haque: Trust, Responsibility and Leadership
According to the information and recollections collected for this documentary, President Ziaur Rahman regarded Azizul Haque as a highly trusted officer.
When a head of state entrusts an officer with an important responsibility, such an appointment represents more than a posting. It carries with it expectations of commitment, professionalism, and responsibility toward the state.
The recollections surrounding Azizul Haque indicate that this confidence was reflected in his professional responsibilities.
It is also mentioned that, as recognition of his service and professional standing, he was later given the opportunity to undertake higher training in Australia.
For a police officer, such an opportunity represented an important milestone in professional development.
But history sometimes takes an unexpected turn.
The Tragic Turn of History
While Azizul Haque was in Australia for training, a tragic chapter unfolded in Chattogram.
On 30 May 1981, President Ziaur Rahman was assassinated in Chattogram.
A statesman was gone.
An era had come to an end.
Yet the institutions developed during that period remained, continuing to serve the state through the passage of time.
A New Chapter in the Flow of History
Perhaps one of the most fascinating aspects of history is that the responsibilities begun by one generation sometimes return to the hands of the next generation, acquiring new dimensions in a different era.
Looking at the history of APBN today, a symbolic continuity can be seen.
Azizul Haque was associated with the leadership of APBN during its formative period.
Decades later, his son, Hasib Aziz, entered the leadership of the same force as part of the continuing professional journey of Bangladesh Police.
Hasib Aziz also has a longstanding professional association with APBN. According to published information, he served in APBN as an Additional Superintendent of Police, and in March 2026, he assumed the responsibility of leading APBN.
This represents a rare generational connection:
Two generations of the same family, associated with two different chapters in the history of the same force.
From Azizul Haque to Hasib Aziz: A Historical Full Circle
At one end stands Azizul Haque—associated with APBN during its formative years in the early 1980s.
At the other stands his son, Hasib Aziz, leading the force decades later in a dramatically transformed security environment.
Between these two generations lie many decades.
Technology has changed.
The nature of crime has changed.
Security challenges have changed.
The needs of the state have changed.
But one principle remains unchanged:
The need for professionalism, discipline, and a strong sense of responsibility in safeguarding the state and its people.
Today’s APBN is not the same force it was in its early years. With modern technology, specialized training, advanced equipment, and increasingly diverse responsibilities, its operational scope has expanded significantly.
The original legal foundation for APBN was established through the 1979 Ordinance, while subsequent amendments have modified and expanded its structure and responsibilities over time.
A New Chapter in Law: Modernizing APBN’s Powers and Responsibilities
Another important dimension of APBN’s history is the gradual development of its legal powers and responsibilities.
While the original 1979 law established the framework for the force, subsequent amendments introduced additional specialized provisions.
For example, the 2003 amendment incorporated special provisions relating to investigation, including provisions concerning the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB).
Today, the challenges facing law enforcement and national security are increasingly complex.
Organized crime, cross-district criminal activity, terrorism, security of critical installations, specialized operations, and other emerging challenges have increased the need for enhanced institutional capacity.
Therefore, discussion of the legal framework and responsibilities of APBN remains important.
Any initiative to develop a modern legal framework may mark another significant chapter in the future evolution of APBN and its role in national security and law enforcement.
Not Merely a Force—A Historical Legacy
If the history of APBN were viewed as a long cinematic journey, its opening scenes would show:
A changing national security environment.
The legal foundation established in 1979.
The organizational preparation of a newly created force.
Remote and difficult communities in the hills.
And police personnel facing demanding responsibilities in challenging circumstances.
Against this backdrop appears the chapter of officers such as Azizul Haque, who were associated with the force during its formative years.
And several decades later, another scene emerges:
His son, Hasib Aziz, leading an APBN shaped by a different era, modern technology, and new security realities.
This is more than the story of one family.
It is a symbolic chapter in the history of an institution—an example of responsibility and professional legacy passing from one generation to another.
Ziaur Rahman: The Era Linked to an Important Chapter of APBN’s History
President Ziaur Rahman remains an important political and state figure in the history of Bangladesh.
The period of his leadership is historically connected with the establishment of the legal foundation of APBN and the broader development of the country’s security institutions.
Therefore, any documentary seeking to present the history of APBN should not focus solely on its present capabilities. It should also explore the circumstances of its institutional birth, the leadership of its early years, and the security realities of that particular period.
In that history, the chapter involving Azizul Haque deserves particular attention—especially if it can be further substantiated through official records, old gazettes, posting orders, training documents, and first-hand interviews with relevant witnesses and participants.
Two Names at Two Ends of History: Azizul Haque and Hasib Aziz
At one end stands Azizul Haque:
An officer associated with APBN during its formative years.
Service in difficult and remote areas.
A chapter of professional trust and responsibility.
An opportunity for advanced training in Australia.
And an association with the history of the force during the period when President Ziaur Rahman was leading the state.
At the other end stands Hasib Aziz:
A police officer of the next generation.
A professional with a longstanding association with APBN.
And, today, entrusted with an important leadership responsibility within the same force.
Between these two generations lie several decades of history.
Yet the bridge remains.
A responsibility that began in the hands of one generation has, through the long passage of time, reached the leadership of the same institution through the next generation.
In the language of history, it carries an unspoken message:
Institutions outlive individuals, but dedication, leadership, and professional service can remain embedded in an institution’s history.
Roots in the Past, Commitment to the Future
The history of APBN is therefore not merely the history of an armed police force.
It is part of the history of the evolution of Bangladesh’s national security structure.
It is a history of service under difficult circumstances.
It is the story of a specialized force adapting to diverse security realities—from the hills to the cities, from remote regions to critical installations.
And within that long history lies a memorable chapter connecting the era of President Ziaur Rahman, the formative leadership associated with Azizul Haque, and the later leadership of Hasib Aziz.
The calendar has changed.
The needs of the state have changed.
The nature of security challenges has changed.
But the fundamental commitment to public safety, professional service, discipline, and responsibility remains essential.
From the institutional journey associated with the era of Ziaur Rahman to the modern APBN of today, this has been a long journey of transformation.
The more thoroughly this history is documented, the clearer it will become how a specialized force has evolved with the changing needs of the state and gradually become an important component of Bangladesh’s security and law-enforcement structure.
The pages of APBN’s history therefore contain more than the name of a force.
They contain time, leadership, responsibility, sacrifice, institutional evolution, and a long story of progress from one generation to the next.