10/08/2026
BA 100005 Major General (retd) Abdur Rahman Khan more commonly known as General A R Khan ( born- 1927- died 5th August 2026) was a legend in the Armed Forces of Bangladesh. He was a pioneer in the development of Army Medical Corps and played a crucial role in establishing modern military health care infrastructure in the country. Major General AR Khan graduated from Calcutta Medical College and obtained MRCP from London and Glasgow. He was a "Clinician par excellence" and highly regarded both inside and outside the Army circle.
General AR Khan was part of the generation of officers who transitioned from the Pakistan Army Medical Corps to the newly formed Bangladesh Army following the 1971 Liberation War. He was a Physician by training. He was already a Classified Medical Specialist by the time he was repatriated to Bangladesh. As DMS Army he was responsible for the administration and clinical oversight of the medical branches of the army. From 6th April 1982 to 31st July 1985 he was DGMS. He oversaw the medical services of all the three branches Army, Navy and Air Force. He succeeded Major General Shamsul Haq and was followed by Major General FM Abdul Haq.
General AR Khan is often remembered for his old school professionalism and his focus on academic excellence within the military. He was instrumental in the expansion and modernization of CMH in various garrisons particularly CMH Dhaka ensuring they met the high standards of an emerging Armed Forces. His leadership paved away for the eventual establishment of institution like AFMI & AFMC which serve today as centers of excellence for medical training in Bangladesh.
Following his military career he became deeply involved with BIRDEM (1986-2000)- Bangladesh Institute of Research and Rehabilitation in Diabetes, Endocrine and Metabolic disorders. He served as the Chief Consultant Physician and Professor of Medicine there as well as the Chairman of Board of Management.
His research and clinical focus primarily centered on diabetes and endocrinology contributing significantly to the management protocols for diabetic patients in Bangladesh.
In 2001 he served as an Advisor to the Caretaker Government providing oversight during the period of political transition.
He also served as the Vice President of the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society where he focused on improving Emergency Medical Response in rural health care.
He was an Honorary Member of the Association of Military Surgeons of the United States (AMSUS) representing Bangladesh Military Medical Services on the global stage.
He was also a heavily involved with Bangladesh Medical Research Council (BMRC) where he vetted national medical research priorities.
His key research interest were : Early onset diabetes- he was part of landmark studies for example Khanum et all 2008 study that proved diabetes was occurring significantly earlier in Bangladesh than previously recorded.
Socio- economic factors: He contributed to research identifying "modifiable factors" in uncontrolled type 2 diabetes mellitus specifically how poverty and irregular dietary habits in rural Bangladesh influence glycemic control.
During his tenure at BIRDEM he oversaw the publication of BIRDEM medical journal. He initiated studies on prevalence studies, large-scale survey of diabetic and hypertensive patients in suburban population.
Complication management: Refining protocols for diabetic foot care and cardiovascular risk associated with chronic hyperglycemia.
In respect to his professional & clinical excellence he was awarded FCPS by the College of Physicians and Surgeons Bangladesh. His extensive experience in the Military Administration and involvement in academic activities and later in the National arena, his administrative and clinical directorship earned him the distinction of a "Technocrat Physician" among his peers.
While the Freedom Fighters provided the Revolutionary spirit, officers like General AR Khan provided the procedural and academic rigor that allowed Bangladesh Army Medical Corps to achieve International recognition.
My personal interactions with General AR Khan:
I came to know Col AR Khan through a relation of mine who was stationed at
Rawalpindi. In 1971 when I was a student of King Edward Medical College Lahore, by way of Interwing scholarship, I visited Rawalpindi during holidays. There I came to know that "Dua Mahfil's were held in his residence for Mukti bahini and emerging Bangladesh, of course very discreetly and quietly.
When I was a student of Grading course in Medicine at CMH Dhaka in 1981 he came to give lectures to me as DMS Army. I was his sole student. Once when he was giving a lecture on Acute Pancreatitis I was very drowsy and almost asleep. He didn't admonish me but he just inquired "were you the DMO last night"?
He posted me as RMO 7 E Bengal located at Kaptai in 1978. Once on a visit there he asked me to do dis-assemble a Chinese r***e which I miserably failed but he showed me how to do it.
Later when he went on his visits to different Cantonments he requested me to see free patients in DOHS Banani mainly maid servants, civilian guards, servants & home caretakers. I vividly remember on Fridays he used to go for Jumma prayers with his octogenarian father walking slowly to keep pace with him.
Once he invited me to accompany him to his charity activities in Shinepukur Dohar. He established a fully functional Pama College, a 50 bedded hospital at Fultola and an agro-based Farm named after his parents, Abdul Majid Khan & Sharifun Nessa Khan. Mrs Mahmuda Khan Munni was always by his side in his most difficult times, during chequered ascent to moments of glory in health and sickness.
Major General AR Khan will be remembered as a bridge between the founding era of the Bangladesh Army Medical Corps and its modernization into a world-class service. He is credited with shifting the focus from basic emergency medical care (MI Room) to specialized clinical training and laying the foundation of super specialty wings within CMH.
