Major General Mohammad Abdur Rab Bir Uttom
Native name	মোহাম্মদ আবদুর রব
Born	21 March 1919 Habiganj, Assam, British India (now Sylhet, Bangladesh)
Died	14 November 1975(1975-11-14) (aged 56) Dhaka, Bangladesh
Allegiance	British India (before 1947)  Pakistan (before 1971)  Bangladesh
Service/branch	British Indian Army  Pakistan Army  Bangladesh Army
Years of service	1942-1972
Rank	Pakistan Army (1947-1967) Lieutenant Colonel  Bangladesh Army (1971-1972) Major General
Unit	Army Services Corps
Commands held	Staff SSD Unit of Pakistan Army Chief of Staff of Bangladesh Army
Awards	Bir Uttom Independence Day Award

Mohammad Abdur Rab, Bir Uttom (Bengali: মোহাম্মদ আব্দুর রব; 1919–1975) also known as M A Rab, was the first Chief of Staff of the Bangladesh Army from 10 April 1971 till 6 April 1972.

Early life

Abdur-Rab was born at village of Khagaura under Baniachong of Habiganj in 1919. A lifelong bachelor, he was elected as lawmaker from the Jatiya Sangsad constituency comprising Baniachang and Ajmiriganj thanas.^[1]

Death

Abdur-Rab died 14 November 1975^[2] at the Combined Military Hospital, Dhaka 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 Habiganj. Other than some local freedom fighters, nobody was seen to go visit the site, even on the country's national days. ^[3]

After independence of Bangladesh

Abdur Rab retired from Bangladesh Army soon after Independence 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 conveniently took. Rab was awarded the Independence Day Award posthumously in 2000.^[4]