​Dr. Mohammad Rafiqul Islam, Professor at the Department of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), joined Islamic University of Technology (IUT) as Vice-Chancellor on September 01, 2020.

Starting his professional life as Lecturer in 1994, he went through the ranks to become Professor in 2009 at the Department of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET).

In his chequered academic career, apart from BUET, Professor Islam also served as Professor at Faculty of Maritime Studies, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah while as Visiting Professor at two Malaysian Universities; namely, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) and Universiti Malaysia Terrengannu (UMT).

Dr. Islam served as a Syndicate member of the First Syndicate of Bangladesh Maritime University and was also a Director of the country’s leading shipyard, Khulna Shipyard Ltd. Currently, he is Associate Editor of the Journal of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering.

A distinguished academic, Professor Islam held many leadership positions including Director, Institutional Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC) and Project Director, Establishment of Ship Model Testing Center (Towing Tank) at BUET and Member of many International Advisory Committees.



Born in 19 March 1969, Professor Islam obtained with B.Sc. Engineering degree in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) and stood first in first class in 1993. He was awarded M.Sc. Engineering degree from the same University in 1997 before being conferred on PhD from Yokohama National University, Japan, in 2001.

Professor Islam has a good number of research publications in prestigious national, regional and international journals to his credit.

In recognition of his outstanding performances, he received many awards and honours during his student life as well as in his professional life. He was awarded by the International Society of Offshore and Polar Engineering (ISOPE), USA for outstanding contribution and for being a leader in the field of Offshore and Polar Engineering in 2000. Dr. Islam was awarded JASSO Post Doctoral Fellowship from the Japanese Government, NFP Fellowship from the Government of the Netherlands.

Dr. Islam is a national expert on Quality Education and a national trainer on Outcome Based Education. Dr. Islam was the member of Board of BAETE (Board of Accreditation for Engineering and Technical Education). He is the founding Director of IQAC, BUET where he relentlessly worked for Quality Education and Ranking of BUET. He had been invited by many public and private universities in the country as a resource person for Quality Assurance and Outcome Based Education. Under his leadership, the department of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering of BUET was awarded the country's first Project on ‘Establishment of Ship Model Testing Centre at BUET’. He was also the Project Director of the project. Dr. Islam is an innovative academic administrator, his greatest value to work in this position is the ability to work independently, focus on the needs, lead from the front. Dr. Islam is a highly energetic and motivated person who always feels a deep edge in his mind and heart to do good to his students and extend his cooperation to them, and supports their studies, education , development , academic administrations. Dr. Islam is a dedicated social worker. Currently, he is the President of Forum 86, an alumni body of BUET students actively working for the alumni community as well as for the distressed people of Bangladesh, President of BUET Teachers Club, Secretary General of Sher-E-Bangla Hall Alumni Association, BUET, Executive member of BUET Graduates Club, Chairman of a Mosque Committee and a Madrasha Committee. Dr. Islam is proactive and takes initiatives to achieve higher goals. He is persistent in achieving goals and he has exceptional quality to work with team members and stakeholders to achieve goals.

Professor Islam is married to Mrs. Almina Parvin and they are blessed with a daughter and a son.