Which is the objective of an Base-emitter resistor?
R2 is used to prevent a floating base. It gives it a defined state, in case the node labeled 2.8V isn't connected. It's a weak pull-down resistor. A floating pin, not pulled to a known state, will act like a mini-antenna, and can float high or low many times and turn the transistor on and off at random.

If that node is driven all the time, either high or low, then R2 is superfluous and can be removed. If the node is connected to for example a microcontroller gpio, that can go High-Impedence/Input (likely at start-up), then R2 keeps the transistor off until the microcontroller goes into output mode.

If the transistor is actually a Mosfet, then R2 is a small drain resistor. Mosfets have a capacitance that may keep it on, if not drained.