In this paper, we develop a general rectangular multiple-relaxation-time lattice Boltzmann (RMRT-LB) method for the Navier-Stokes equations (NSEs) and nonlinear convection-diffusion equation (NCDE) by extending our recent unified framework of the multiple-relaxation-time lattice Boltzmann (MRT-LB) method [Chai and Shi, Phys. Rev. E 102, 023306 (2020)10.1103/PhysRevE.102.023306], where an equilibrium distribution function (EDF) [Lu et al., Philos. Trans. R. Soc. A 369, 2311 (2011)10.1098/rsta.2011.0022] on a rectangular lattice is utilized. The anisotropy of the lattice tensor on a rectangular lattice leads to anisotropy of the third-order moment of the EDF, which is inconsistent with the isotropy of the viscous stress tensor of the NSEs. To eliminate this inconsistency, we extend the relaxation matrix related to the dynamic and bulk viscosities. As a result, the macroscopic NSEs can be recovered from the RMRT-LB method through the direct Taylor expansion method. Whereas the rectangular lattice does not lead to the change of the zero-, first- and second-order moments of the EDF, the unified framework of the MRT-LB method can be directly applied to the NCDE. It should be noted that the RMRT-LB model for NSEs can be derived on the rDdQq (q discrete velocities in d-dimensional space, d≥1) lattice, including rD2Q9, rD3Q19, and rD3Q27 lattices, while there are no rectangular D3Q13 and D3Q15 lattices within this framework of the RMRT-LB method. Thanks to the block-lower triangular relaxation matrix introduced in the unified framework, the RMRT-LB versions (if existing) of the previous MRT-LB models can be obtained, including those based on raw (natural) moment, central moment, Hermite moment, and central Hermite moment. It is also found that when the parameter c_{s} is an adjustable parameter in the standard or rectangular lattice, the present RMRT-LB method becomes a kind of MRT-LB method for the NSEs and NCDE, and the commonly used MRT-LB models on the DdQq lattice are only its special cases. We also perform some numerical simulations, and the results show that the present RMRT-LB method can give accurate results and also have a good numerical stability.