Dr. Sheikh Tawhidul Islam
Dr. Sheikh Tawhidul Islam Professor, Institute of Remote Sensing and GIS

PROFILE

SHORT BIOGRAPHY

The Director of the Institute, Dr Sheikh Tawhidul Islam, has been working for more than 20 years in different fields of environment, ranging from hydro-meteorological processes and landform morphology to natural resources, which gave him opportunities to read and understand these aspects meticulously. He combines science and social science tools and methods like GIS, remote sensing techniques and statistical methods as quantitative techniques; uses theories like political ecology, common property resource management, and PRA, FGD as qualitative tools to examine environmental, disaster, and climate change impact situations. He used multi-sensor spaceborne image data to detect historical forest cover change in the central parts of Bangladesh while undertaking his Ph.D. research at Durham University (2002-2006) in the United Kingdom. Wide-ranging field experience, national-level contributions, experience working with government and international agencies are the pillars upon which Dr. Islam’s professional strength, integrity and skills are relied on.

Google Scholar Research Gate | ORCID | Website

Editorial Involvement

1. Guest Editor, Indian Journal of Spatial Science published by Indian Society of Spatial Scientists.

2. Guest Editor, International Energy Journal, Bangabandhu Chair Special Issue. Published by Asian Institute of Technology (AIT, Thailand). Volume 20, and Volume 21.

3. Editor of the book published by Springer Nature, Singapore (https://www.springernature.com/gp ) with Dr   Indrajit Pal (AIT, Thailand), Dr Sreevalsa Kolathayar (NIT, India), Dr Iftekhar Ahmed (University of New Castle, Australia). The book's title is ‘Proceedings of the 2nd International Symposium on Disaster Resilience and Sustainable Development – Volume 2 – Disaster Risk Science and Technology.’

4. Registered member of the Indonesian Journal of Geography panel of reviewers.

5. Advisory Board Member of the climate change program of CCDB, where I work with nationally and internationally renowned experts on climate change.

Membership with other Society

  • Life Member:  BNGA
  • Member:
    • Programme Coordination Committee, ICDDRB,B
    • Advisory Body, Climate Change Program, Christian Commission for Development in Bangladesh
    • Co-Chairman, Climate Action Resources Network - Asia Pacific

Completed Research Projects

  • Science and Technology Ministry Research Grant of 2021-2022An assessment of the causes and consequences of landslides (2017) took place in South-eastern parts of BangladeshAmount TK 250000/- BDT. 

  • Science and Technology Ministry Research Grant of 2021-2022; Urban Heat Island Effect and Building Density: A Geospatial Inquiry on Rangpur  City CorporationAmount TK 250000/-

RESEARCH INTEREST

Remote Sensing, Climate Change, Disaster Management, EIA, Environmental Degradation etc. 

 

 

JOURNAL PAPER

Md. Jakir Hossain, Md. Munir Mahmud, Sheikh Tawhidul Islam, Monitoring spatiotemporal changes of urban surface water based on satellite imagery and Google Earth Engine platform in Dhaka City from 1990 to 2021, Bulletin of the National Research Centre, 37, Springer Nature, 2023. doi: https://doi.org/10.1186/s42269-023-01127-5
Byomkesh Talukder , Reza Salim , Sheikh Tawhidul Islam , Krishna Prosad Mondal, Keith W. Hipel , Gary W. vanLoon , James Orbinski, Collective intelligence for addressing community planetary health resulting from salinity prompted by sea level rise, The Journal of Climate Change and Health, 10, 2023. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joclim.2023.100203
Amrit Melissa Dencer-Brown, Robyn Shilland, Daniel Friess, Dorothée Herr, Lisa Benson, Nicholas J. Berry, Miguel Cifuentes-Jara, Patrick Colas, Ellyn Damayanti, Elisa López García, Marina Gavaldão, Gabriel Grimsditch, Adam P. Hejnowicz, Jennifer Howard, S, Integrating blue: How do we make nationally determined contributions work for both blue carbon and local coastal communities?, Ambio, 51, pp.1978–1993, 2022. doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-022-01723-1
Sheikh Tawhidul Islam, Md. Kamruzzaman Akand, Md. Nurul Islam, Soumic Samad, Faiyad H. Rishal, Systems thinking approach for disaster resilient and climate smart agriculture in Bangladesh, International Journal of Disaster Resilience in the Built Environment, 13, 3, pp.286-303, 2022. doi: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJDRBE-08-2021-0114
Aniruddha Dey, Sheikh Tawhidul Islam, Biplabketan Paul, Swarnabha Bandyopadhyay, Piu Sengupta, Nandini Sanyal, Krishna Prosad Mondal, Al Jubaer, Rangeet Mitra, Waterlogging mitigation and safe water supply: lessons learnt from low-lying areas of Basirhat municipality, India, International Journal of Disaster Resilience in the Built Environment, 3, 3, pp.386-403, 2022. doi: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJDRBE-08-2021-0106
Sakib Rahman Siddique Shuvo, Md. Nurul Islam, Sheikh Tawhidul Islam, Role of information and communication technologies in Build Back Better to post disaster recovery practices: insights from Bangladesh, International Journal of Disaster Resilience in the Built Environment, 13, 2, pp.233-247, 2022. doi: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJDRBE-08-2021-0097
Joyashree Roy, Sheikh Tawhidul Islam, Indrajit Pal, Hasan Mahmud, White Paper Top Ten Priorities: in Implementation of Low Carbon Sustainable Energy Development and Adaptation Framework to Reduce Disaster Impact in the Context of Bangladesh, International Energy Journal (Bangabandhu Chair Special Issue), 21, 1A, pp.143 – 145, 2021.
Joyashree Roy, Sheikh Tawhidul Islam, Indrajit Pal, Implementation Framework for Sustainable Development: What Matters in the Context of Bangladesh, International Energy Journal (Bangabandhu Chair Special Issue), 2, pp.1-8, 2021.
Joyashree Roy, Sheikh Tawhidul Islam, Indrajit Pal, White Paper on Energy, Disaster, Climate Change: Sustainability and Just Transitions in Bangladesh, International Energy Journal (Bangabandhu Chair Special Issue), 20, 3A, pp.579-580, 2020.
Syed Hafizur Rahman Sheikh Tawhidul Islam, Tapas Ranjan Chakraborty, Road to Effective Introduction of Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) in Bangladesh: A Case Study from a Project Intervention, Bangladesh Journal of Environmental Research, 11, pp.67-79, 2020.
Syed Hafizur Rahman, BMR Faisal, Sheikh Tawhidul Islam, A Critical Review on Water Governance Gaps in Bangladesh, Sub Journal of Sustainable Environment and Development, pp.40, 2019.
Syed Hafizur Rahman, BM Refat Faisal, Sheik Tawhidul Islam, Evaluation of NCTB Textbooks (Class III-Class XII) in the context of Disaster Management, NAEM Journal, 9, 18, Ministry of Education, 2014.
SH Rahman, Z Ferdous, ST Islam, Vulnerability and impact assessment to climate change and ecosystem based adaptation in a drought prone area of Bangladesh applying DPSIR framework, Jahangirnagar University Environmental Bulletin, 3, 2, pp.69-82, Dhaka, 2014.
Sayan Chakrabarty, Tawhidul Islam, Financial viability and eco-efficiency of the solar home systems (SHS) in Bangladesh, Energy, 36, 8, pp.4821-4827, 2011. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2011.05.016
Sheikh Tawhidul Islam, Indigenous people, NGOs and the politics of alternative development discourse in Bangladesh, Dhaka University Journal of Development Studies, 1, pp.79-89, Dhaka, 2010.
Md Mahfuzul Islam, Md Wahiduzzaman, Sheikh Tawhidul Islam, State of Life and Livelihoods in the Haor: A Case Study on Ashtagram Upazila, Kishoregonj, International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Development Studies, 1, 1, pp.39-48, Dhaka, 2010.
Sheikh Tawhidul Islam, Definition dilemma in forest management: Assessing the impacts of differential management approaches on forest ecosystems in Bangladesh, Bangladesh Journal of Environmental Research, 7, Department of Environmental Sciences, Jahangirnagar University, 2009.
Sheikh Tawhidul Islam, Thinking Beyond Kyoto Protocol: Proposing a win-win Solution to Combat Climate Change, The Jahangirnagar Review, 32, 2, Faculty of Social Science, Jahangirnagar University, 2009.
Tawhidul Islam , Peter Atkins, Indigenous floating cultivation: a sustainable agricultural practice in the wetlands of Bangladesh, Development in Practice, 17, 1, pp.130-136, 2007. doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/09614520601092733
Sheikh Tawhidul Islam, Deforestation in Bangladesh: Language and power in action, Narrative Inquiry, 17, 1, pp.141 - 156, 2007. doi: https://doi.org/10.1075/ni.17.1.10isl
Sheikh Tawhidul Islam, Deforestation in Bangladesh, Geography Review, 22, 4, Philip Allan (UK), 2007.
Sheikh Tawhidul Islam, Nature and characteristics of hydroponic cultivation in Nesarabad Thana, Pirojpur District, Journal of The Bangladesh National Geographical Association, 29, Dhaka, 2003.
Sheikh Tawhidul Islam, Noise pollution in Dhaka city: a case study of Ramna Thana, Journal of The Bangladesh National Geographical Association, 21-26, Dhaka, 2000.
Sheikh Tawhidul Islam, The common property resources of Bangladesh: its use, abuse and potentials, Jahangirnagar Review, 23-24, Faculty of Social Science, Jahangirnagar University, 2000.
M. Islam, Sheikh Tawhidul Islam, Riverbank erosion in Bangladesh revisited, Journal of The Bangladesh National Geographical Association, 27-28, 2000.
Sheikh Tawhidul Islam, Spatial data quality and need for a metadata system in Bangladesh,, Jahangirnagar Review, 23-24, Faculty of Social Science, Jahangirnagar University, 2000.
Sheikh Tawhidul Islam, The socio-economic status of shrimp farmers of Rampal Thana, Bagerhat District, Bangladesh, Bhugol Patrika, 17, Department of Geography and Environment, Jahangirnagar University, 1999.

CONFERENCE PAPER

Sheikh Tawhidul Islam, DNM Donoghue, An evaluation of Quickbird data for assessing woodland resource in deciduous Sal Forests in Bangladesh, Remote Sensing and Photogrammetry Society Annual Conference, UK, 2004.

BOOK

Tawhidul Islam, Ananta Neelim, Climate change in Bangladesh : a closer look into temperature and rainfall data, University Press, Bangladesh, 2010.

EDITED BOOK

Sheikh Tawhidul Islam and Alak Paul, Geography in Bangladesh: Concepts, Methods and Applications, Taylor & Francis, 2019/4/10, pp.300, 2019.

This book provides an overview of the emergence of geography as a discipline in Bangladesh and the contributions made by local geographers towards the country's development. It explores problems associated with population growth and poverty, landlessness and food security, land use and natural resource management, urbanism, climate change, disaster management and human health. 


BOOK CHAPTER

Dibakar Chakraborty , Krishna Prosad Mondal , Al Jubaer , Sheikh Tawhidul Islamb, Byomkesh Talukder, Health impacts of rapid-onset event: 2022 flash flood in Bangladesh, Living With Climate Change, 1, pp.199-212, Elsevier Inc., 2023. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-443-18515-1.00004-6
Mehjabin, K.N., Mahmud, M.M. & Islam, S.T., Cyclone Amphan's Fury and COVID-19: A Multi-Disaster Geospatial Analysis of Flood-Induced Damage and Vulnerability, COVID-19 Social Science Perspectives, pp.159-190, Faculty of Social Science, Jahangirnagar University, 2023.
Indrajit Pal, Sreevalsa Kolathayar, Sheikh Tawhidul Islam, Anirban Mukhopadhyay, Iftekhar Ahmed & Ganni Satya Venkata Sai Aditya Bharadwaz, Disaster Risk Science and Technology: Addressing Cross-Cutting Challenges, 2nd International Symposium on Disaster Resilience and Sustainable Development, 294, Thailand, 2022. doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-6297-4_1
Faiyad H. Rishal, Khondaker Mohammod Shariful Huda, Md. Nurul Islam & Sheikh Tawhidul Islam, Post-disaster Recovery for Building Resilience: Bangladesh Perspective, Proceedings of the 2nd International Symposium on Disaster Resilience and Sustainable Development, Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering, Springer, 283, pp.187–198, 2022. doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-4715-5_11
Nandini Sanyal, Indrajit Pal, Sheikh Tawhidul Islam, Chapter 30 - Knowledge gaps and operational challenges in managing COVID-19 in Bangladesh: postpandemic strategies in multi-disaster contexts, Pandemic Risk, Response, and Resilience, Elsevier, pp.471-483, 2022. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-99277-0.00014-0
Mir A. Matin, Sheikh Tawhidul Islam, Geospatial Applications in the HKH Region: Country Needs and Priorities, Earth Observation Science and Applications for Risk Reduction and Enhanced Resilience in Hindu Kush Himalaya Region, Springer, pp.41-57, 2021. doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-73569-2_3
Dibakar Chakraborty, Krishna Prosad Mondal, Sheikh Tawhidul Islam, Joyashree Roy, Chapter 26 - 2017 flash flood in Bangladesh: Lessons learnt, Disaster Resilience and Sustainability, pp.591-610, 2021. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-85195-4.00007-X
Alak Paul, Sheikh Tawhidul Islam, Local trends, the current state and the future of geography, Geography in Bangladesh: Concepts, Methods and Applications, pp.254-259, Taylor & Francis, UK, 2019.
Sheikh Tawhidul Islam, Alak Paul, Geography in Bangladesh: Niche of the discipline in the context of global change, Geography in Bangladesh: Concepts, Methods and Applications, pp.1-7, Taylor & Francis, UK, 2019.
Sheikh Tawhidul Islam, Climate change crisis in Bangladesh, Geography in Bangladesh: Concepts, Methods and Applications, pp.146-163, Taylor & Francis, UK, 2019.
Sheikh Tawhidul Islam, Alak Paul, Geography in Bangladesh, Geography in Bangladesh: Concepts, Methods and Applications, Taylor & Francis, UK, 2019.
Sheikh Tawhidul Islam, An Account on Disaster Impacts in Bangladesh, People at Risk: Disaster and Despair, pp.45-70, Department of Geography and Environment, Dhaka University, Dhaka, 2019.
Alak Paul, Sheikh Tawhidul Islam, Shifting Research Paradigm and Future of Geography in Bangladesh, Environment and Sustainable Development in Bangladesh: Geographical Perspectives, pp.285-296, Department of Geography and Environment, Dhaka University, Dhaka, 2018.
Sheikh Tawhidul Islam, Disaster Impacts and Management in Bangladesh: Progress Made and Way Forward, Disaster Management in Bangladesh, Disaster Research Training and Management Centre, Department. of Geography and Environment, University of Dhaka, 2017.
Mark O’Donnell, A. K. M. Mamunur Rashid, Paul Steele, Merylyn Hedger, Joyce Lee, K. M. Nabiul Islam, Tawhidul Islam, Rezai Karim Khondker, Siddiqur Rahman, Dipak Kumar Sarkar & Narayan Chandra Sinha, Bangladesh climate public expenditure and institutional review, Climate Change Adaptation Actions in Bangladesh. Disaster Risk Reduction, pp.365-385, Springer, Tokyo, 2013. doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-54249-0_19
Tawhidul Islam, M. Aminur Rahman, Fuad Mallick, Chapter 2 Impacts of climate change induced hazards and adaptation processes in Bangladesh: an overview, Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction: An Asian Perspective, 5, pp.19-36, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Bingley, 2010. doi: https://doi.org/10.1108/S2040-7262(2010)0000005008
Sheikh Tawhidul Islam, Putting local government in bottom-up planning: Role of information technology in rural development in Bangladesh, Local Governance and Poverty Reduction in Bangladesh, Asia Pacific Research Centre (APRC), Kobe Gakuin University, Japan, 2007.

Teaching

Course Code Course Title Semester/Year
IRS-501 Principles of Remote Sensing First Semester
IRS-506 Survey Techniques / Field Measurements using Geoinformatics (Lab) First Semester
IRS -510 Advanced Geographic Information Systems (Lab) Second Semester

Academic Info

Institute: University of Durham
Period: October 2002 - August 2006

Ph.D. titled Resource assessment of deciduous sal forests in Bangladesh’. 

Experience

Organization: Department of Geography and Environment, Jahangirnagar University
Position: Professor
Period: December 2012 to March 2021
Organization: United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) (CDMP II project, Bangladesh)
Position: Learning and Development Specialist (LDS)
Period: August 2013 to August 2014
Organization: Department of Geography and Environment, Jahangirnagar University
Position: Associate Professor
Period: December 2007 to December 2012
Organization: Department of Geography and Environment, Jahangirnagar University
Position: Assistant Professor
Period: May 2002 to October 2007
Organization: Department of Geography and Environment, Jahangirnagar University
Position: Lecturer
Period: December 1998 to May 2002
Organization: Info Consult Ltd, Bangladesh
Position: GIS and Remote Sensing Analyst
Period: January 1997 to November 1998
Organization: Bangladesh Medical Research Council
Position: Research Assistant
Period: May 1996 to December 1996

Activity

Organization: United Nations University
Position: Senior Research Fellow, Disaster Management and Climate Change Analytics in South Asia
Period: 23/09/2023-Present
Organization: International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDRB,B)
Position: Member, Programme Coordination Committee
Period: 2023-Present
Organization: Climate Action Resources Network - Asia Pacific
Position: Co-Chairman
Period: 2023
Organization: Bangladesh National Geographical Association (BNGA)
Position: Life Member
Organization: The International Association for Ecology (INTECOL)
Position: Member

Contact

Dr. Sheikh Tawhidul Islam

Professor
Institute of Remote Sensing and GIS
Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka-1342, Bangladesh.
Cell Phone: +8801745566021
Work Phone: 2263/JU Extension
Email: s.t.islam@juniv.edu , tawhidju@gmail.com