2014to present
Professor
Department of Folklore & Social Development Studies, University of Rajshahi.
About& CV
Education, appointments and recognition across nearly three decades of teaching, research and public service.
1997Teaching sinceUniversity of Rajshahi
46h-index9,870 citations
35Funded projectsUSD 14.6M as PI
5HonoursIncl. Lifetime Achievement
Profile
Folklorist, social scientist and institution builder
Social scientist and folklorist with 25+ years of experience in teaching, policy research and programme design, known for bringing community voices, oral traditions and local knowledge into climate adaptation and development policy, and for building institutions that outlast individual projects.
- Principal Investigator on 35 funded projects totalling USD 14.6 million.
- As Dean (2017–2020), launched the MA in Climate & Society and the MPhil in Disaster Studies.
- Lead author on national and regional climate assessments.
- Advisor to UNDP, World Bank, GIZ, FAO and national ministries.
- Supervised 18 PhD, 9 MPhil and 60+ Master's theses.
Core competencies
Ethnographic fieldworkMixed-methods researchOral historyMonitoring & evaluationPolicy analysisGrant writingStakeholder facilitationCurriculum designInstitutional governanceR / NVivo
Curriculum vitae
Full academic CV, 38 pages, updated September 2026. Placeholder files in this demo.
At a glance
- Current postProfessor
- Highest degreePhD (Leeds)
- Countries worked14
- LanguagesBangla, English, Hindi
- Citations9,870
- h-index / i10-index46 / 112
- ORCID0000-0000-0000-0000
Education
Degrees & fellowships
- 2008Postdoc
Postdoctoral Fellowship
Stockholm Resilience Centre, Sweden · local ecological knowledge in wetland co-management (12 months)
- 2002 – 2005PhD
PhD in Development Studies
University of Leeds, United Kingdom · thesis: “Folk Knowledge, Institutions and Water Security in Coastal Bangladesh.” Commonwealth Scholar.
- 1999 – 2000MSc
MSc in Development Studies
Wageningen University, the Netherlands · distinction; specialisation in rural resource management
- 1995 – 1996MA
MA in Folklore
University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh · first class, first position
- 1991 – 1994BA
BA (Hons) in Folklore
University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh · first class; Dean's Merit Award
Career
Academic appointments
2017to 2020
Dean, Faculty of Arts
Led curriculum reform and the launch of two new graduate programmes.
2011to 2012
Visiting Professor
Institute of Development Studies (IDS), Sussex, UK.
- 2009 – 2014Rajshahi
Associate Professor
University of Rajshahi
- 2005 – 2009Rajshahi
Assistant Professor
University of Rajshahi
- 1997 – 2005Rajshahi
Lecturer
University of Rajshahi (study leave 2002–2005)
Beyond the university
Professional work
Member, National Climate Change Expert Committee
Advises the Ministry of Environment on National Adaptation Plan implementation.
Editorial Board Member
Journal of Water & Climate Policy and Asian Journal of Environment & Development.
University Grants Commission Panel
External reviewer for new graduate programmes in the social sciences.
Lead Author, Regional Climate Assessment
Chapter on water, culture and livelihoods in South Asian deltas.
Technical Advisor, UNDP Bangladesh
Designed the M&E framework for a community-based adaptation programme.
Founder & institutional leader
Five organizations founded, led or advised.
See Engagement
Recognition
Honours & awards
- 2024Lifetime Achievement in Social ResearchNational Academy of Sciences (demo)Lifetime
- 2021Outstanding Mentor AwardBARD Network
- 2018Gold Medal for Research ExcellenceUniversity of Rajshahi
- 2012Visiting FellowshipIDS Sussex
- 2002Commonwealth ScholarshipCommonwealth Scholarship Commission
Few academics have done as much to connect the university to the communities it serves. His legacy is not only his publications, but the institutions and the people he has built.
- 2010 – PresentFellow
Royal Geographical Society
Fellow (FRGS)
- 1998 – PresentLife member
Bangladesh Folklore Society
Life Member, former President
- 2006 – PresentMember
International Water Resources Association
Member
- 2019 – PresentMember
National Climate Change Expert Committee
Member
- 2015 – PresentExecutive
Asian Council for Higher Education Quality
Executive Committee
Collaborate
Working on something similar?
Prof. Rahman welcomes research partnerships, examination and review invitations, and speaking requests.
External examinationPhD and MPhil theses
Peer reviewJournals, funders and programmes
SpeakingKeynotes, panels and lectures