Mohammad Abdur Rab,

Bir Uttom Bir Uttom ( bn, বীর উত্তম, lit=Great Valiant Hero) is the second highest award for individual gallantry in Bangladesh after the Bir Sreshtho and the highest gallantry award for a living individual. Since the independence of Bang ...

( bn, মোহাম্মদ আব্দুর রব) (1919 – 1975) also known as M A Rab, was the first

Chief of Staff The title chief of staff (or head of staff) identifies the leader of a complex organization such as the armed forces, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a principal staff officer (PSO), who is the coordinator of the supporti ...

of the

Bangladesh Army The Bangladesh Army is the land warfare branch and the largest component of the Bangladesh Armed Forces. The primary mission of the Army is to provide necessary forces and capabilities to deliver the Bangladeshi government's security and def ...

from 10 April 1971 till 6 April 1972.

Early life

Abdur-Rab was born at village of Khagaura under

Baniachong Baniachong ( bn, বানিয়াচং) is an upazila of Habiganj District in the Division of Sylhet, Bangladesh. Village Baniyachong is the biggest and the most populous village in Asia. History Baniachong constituted the grand estate (zami ...

Habiganj Habiganj ( bn, হবিগঞ্জ) is a major town and district headquarters of Habiganj District in the division of Sylhet, Bangladesh. Population: Total population of Habiganj is about 95,000 Railroad *Habiganj Bazar–Shaistaganj–Ba ...

in 1919. A lifelong bachelor, he was elected as lawmaker from the

Jatiya Sangsad The Jatiya Sangsad ( bn, জাতীয় সংসদ, lit=National Parliament, translit=Jatiyô Sôngsôd), often referred to simply as the ''Sangsad'' or JS and also known as the House of the Nation, is the supreme legislative body of ...

constituency comprising Baniachang and Ajmiriganj thanas.

Death

Abdur-Rab died 14 November 1975 at the

Combined Military Hospital Combined Military Hospitals ( ur, , abbreviated as CMH) are Pakistan Armed Forces hospitals situated in various cantonments of Pakistan. History During the British Raj, the British Indian Army troops depended for their medical treatment enti ...

Dhaka Dhaka ( or ; bn, ঢাকা, Ḍhākā, ), formerly known as Dacca, is the capital and largest city of Bangladesh, as well as the world's largest Bengali-speaking city. It is the eighth largest and sixth most densely populated city ...

at age 56. He had been suffering from ailments including anemia. He was laid to rest at his village of khagaura on the banks of Khowai River in Habiganj. His younger brother Abdur Rahim said that no pension was paid to any of his family members. Abdur Rab's grave is at the district headquarters of

. Other than some local freedom fighters, nobody was seen to go visit the site, even on the country's national days.

After independence of Bangladesh

Abdur Rab retired from

soon after

Independence Independence is a condition of a person, nation, country, or state in which residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory. The opposite of independence is the statu ...

due to poor health, similar to M. A. G Osmani. Rumors were spread that Rab was awarded the gallantry medal which his deputy chief of staff (Army)

A. K. Khandker Air Vice Marshal (Retd.) Abdul Karim Khandker, Bir Uttom (born 1930) is a former planning minister of the Government of Bangladesh. He is a retired diplomat and was the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Bangladesh Armed Forces during the Banglad ...

conveniently took. Rab was awarded the

Independence Day Award The Independence Day Award ( bn, স্বাধীনতা পদক), also termed Independence Award ( bn, স্বাধীনতা পুরস্কার), Swadhinata Padak, and Swadhinata Puroskar, is the highest state award given by t ...

posthumously in 2000.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rab, Mohammad Abdur 1919 births 1975 deaths People of the Bangladesh Liberation War People from Baniachong Upazila Bangladesh Army generals 1st Jatiya Sangsad members Mukti Bahini personnel