Deputy Chief of Army Staff (DCOAS) was a military rank used by the Bangladesh Army. The DCOAS was second-in-command to the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) and above the Chief of General Staff (CGS). The post was later retired and the CGS became the second-in-command of the army chief. It initially had the same two-star rank as both Shafiullah and Zia were promoted to Major General.
According to Major General KM Shafiullah, the post was created because then-Major General Ziaur Rahman was aggreived at being passed over for the role of chief of army staff (COAS). After the assassination of Sheikh Mujib, Zia was made army chief and HM Ershad became his deputy.