A. S. M. Abdur Rab

A. S. M. Abdur Rab
Born	1945
Occupation	Politician
Known for	Founding secretary general of the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal; Minister of Shipping and Minister of Fisheries and Livestock (1996–2001)

A. S. M. Abdur Rab (born 1945) is a prominent Bangladeshi political figure and the founding secretary general of the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal. In 1985, he and his supporters branched off to establish the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-JSD (JSD (Rab)).<ref> He represented the constituency of Lakshmipur-4 as a member of the Jatiya Sangsad and occupied ministerial portfolios in Shipping, followed by Fisheries and Livestock between 1996 and 2001, during the initial Sheikh Hasina administration.<ref>

Early life

Born in 1945, Abdur Rab held the position of general secretary for the East Pakistan Chhatra League from 1969 until 1970.<ref> He was a leading figure in the 1969 mass uprising and notably raised the Flag of Bangladesh for the first time on 2 March 1971 while serving as vice president of the Dhaka University Central Students' Union.

Career

A S M Abdur Rab was instrumental in Bangladesh’s fight for independence. Alongside other Chhatra League leaders such as Noor Alam Siddiqui and Abdul Kuddus, he was responsible for the inaugural hoisting of Bangladesh’s flag at Dhaka University on 2 March 1971. This event was initiated by Abdur Rab, who subsequently presented the flag to Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at the historic Bot-tala location within Dhaka University. After liberation, Rab established the leftist Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (National Socialist Party) and became an opponent of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s administration, collaborating with Serajul Alam Khan and Shajahan Siraj. On 17 March 1974, he led a major demonstration towards the Home Minister’s residence; despite police gunfire from the Jatiya Rakkhi Bahini, he survived what is known as the 1974 Ramna massacre. Following the coup in November 1975, President Abu Sadat Mohammad Sayem freed Rab because of his association with Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal.

Rab assumed the role of opposition leader in 1988 and later served in ministerial capacities under Sheikh Hasina’s government from 1996 to 2001, initially as Minister of Shipping and subsequently as Minister of Fisheries and Livestock.