Faculty Profile

Dr. Md. Khalilur Rahman

Professor

Contact Information

  • Office Address: Department of Chemistry, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet-3114, Bangladesh
  • Phone:
  • Email:

Biography

Professor Dr. Khalilur Rahman (1941–2023), the Founding Head of the Department of Chemistry, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST), was one of the nation’s most respected scientists and educators.


Born in Baharmardan village, Moulvibazar Sadar Upazila, he completed his S.S.C. from Moulvibazar Government High School and I.S.C. (H.S.C.) from Sylhet M.C. College, both with First Division. In 1961, he obtained his B.Sc. with Distinction and First Class from M.C. College under the University of Dhaka, followed by an M.Sc. in Chemistry (1963) from the University of Dhaka, where he stood second in the First Class.


In 1964, before Bangladesh’s independence, he joined the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission, Lahore as a Scientific Officer. The same year, he went to England for higher studies and earned an M.Sc. and D.I.C. in Nuclear Chemical Technology from Imperial College London. In 1968, he received his Ph.D. from Chelsea College, University of London. Upon returning to Bangladesh, he joined the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission as a Senior Scientific Officer (1968–1973). Later, in 1973, he went to West Germany’s Nuclear Research Center Karlsruhe for advanced research and continued as an Alexander von Humboldt Postdoctoral Fellow (1974–1976) at Universität Darmstadt. From 1976 to 1980, he served as an Associate Professor at the University of Al-Fateh, Libya, before returning to Germany once more for a second Humboldt Fellowship at Darmstadt.


Before joining SUST, he served as the Chief Scientific Officer of the Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR), conducting research in the field of energy and nuclear fuel applications.


In 1990, Professor Khalilur Rahman joined Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) as the Founding Head of the Department of Chemistry. At that time, the university had only three departments, and Professor Rahman played a pivotal role in establishing Chemistry as one of the foundation pillars of SUST. He meticulously built laboratories, recruited brilliant young faculty members, and created a culture of discipline, integrity, and excellence.


Professor Rahman was known for his unmatched honesty, work ethic, and non-communal values. He worked seven days a week— often from early morning to late night— without seeking personal gain or recognition. He strongly opposed student politics but encouraged students to advocate for academic and institutional needs under capable, meritorious leadership. His guiding principle was that “honesty and diligence are the true path to scientific success.”


He shared close intellectual friendships with renowned scientists, including Professor Jamal Nazrul Islam of the University of Chittagong. Professor Rahman often spoke about the world’s great physicists and chemists with deep admiration, drawing on his own experiences working with them abroad.


Despite numerous challenges, Professor Rahman devoted his life and savings to scientific advancement. He aspired to establish a research institute at SUST to strengthen scientific inquiry in Bangladesh. Although bureaucratic and political hurdles prevented its realization, he later founded the Kushiara Foundation, a scientific institution aimed at promoting affordable solar cooking technology and scientific education.


His lifelong research contributions included publications in the fields of nuclear fuel reprocessing, nuclear waste management, and magnetic field effects on inorganic complex formation. He authored multiple international papers from institutions such as Imperial College London, Chelsea College, Technische Hochschule Darmstadt, and the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Centre.


Professor Rahman exemplified the ideals of scientific integrity, devotion to knowledge, and selfless service. If Bangladesh had more educators like him, the nation’s scientific and educational landscape would have been vastly enriched. His legacy continues to inspire generations of chemists at SUST.


(Biography was written by Dr. Jagotamoy Das)


Journal Publications

  • 1. Radiochemical method for evaluating pore size distribution of organic ion exchange resins (1977)
  • 2. Isotopic exchange kinetics of the phosphate ions between aqueous solution and solid zirconium phosphate (1974)
  • 3. Distribution of Some Isotopes on Zirconium Tellurate and Bismuth Tellurate — Inorganic Ion Exchangers (1973)
  • 4. Mechanism of isotopic exchange in a heterogeneous system (1972)
  • 5. The γ-radiolysis of zeocarb 225 cation-exchange resins (1971)