Faculty Profile

Iftakhar Ahmad

Lecturer

Contact Information

  • Office Address: Department of Social Work, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet-3114, Bangladesh
  • Phone: 01303612741
  • Email: [email protected] , [email protected]

Research Profile Links

Biography

Iftakhar Ahmad earned both his Master of Social Science (MSS) and Bachelor of Social Science (BSS) degrees in Social Work from Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST), Sylhet-3114, Bangladesh. He has been engaged in research for nearly a decade, contributing to a number of research projects as a research assistant. So far, he has conducted research on a wide range of issues, including occupational health and safety, HIV/AIDS-related stigma, rohingya refugee issues, haor (wetland) community development, and social work education. The outcome of his research activities has been published in internationally indexed journals, including Asian Social Work and Policy Review, The International Journal of Community and Social Development, and Scientific Reports. He has also contributed chapters to edited volumes published by Springer and Palgrave Macmillan. He presented several papers at international conferences. In addition to contributing to labor welfare and development of vulnerable and underserved populations through extensive research, his long-term academic goal is to advance evidence-based social work education in Bangladesh.

Education

  • Master of Social Science (MSS) in Social Work from Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST), Sylhet, Bangladesh in 2019 (held on November 2020), obtaining CGPA: 3.68/4.00. Thesis Title: Occupational Health and Safety of Construction Workers: A Study in Sylhet City
  • Bachelor of Social Science (BSS) in Social Work from Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST), Sylhet, Bangladesh in 2017 (held on June 2018), obtaining CGPA: 3.55/4.00. Research Title: Catering Services in Government Hospitals: A Study in MAG Osmani Medical College and Hospital

Research Interests

  • Occupational Health and Safety
  • Medical Social Work
  • Social Dimensions of Public Health
  • HIV/AIDS, Stigma, and Social Exclusion
  • Refugee Health and Deprivation
  • Environmental Health and Climate Vulnerability
  • Social Work Education and Professional Practice

Journal Publications

  • 1. Healthcare Services of NGOs in the Haor (Wetland) Communities: A Social Capital Perspective. The International Journal of Community and Social Development, 7(3), 386-404. (2025)
  • 2. Occupational health risks, safety essentials, and safety beliefs among construction workers in Bangladesh. Scientific Reports, 15(1), 33064. (2025)
  • 3. Impacts of COVID-19 on social work teaching and learning in Bangladesh. Asian Social Work and Policy Review, 18(2), e12315. (2024)
  • 4. Haor (wetland) community in Bangladesh: Problems/needs, resources and potential for employing smart village ideas. International Journal of Community and Social Development, 5(3), 286–305. (2023)
  • 5. Designing a Research Proposal in Qualitative Research. In: Islam, M.R., Khan, N.A., Baikady, R. (eds) Principles of Social Research Methodology. Springer, Singapore. (2022)
  • 6. Social stigma and vulnerabilities of HIV/AIDS-positive people: Reconsidering social work education and NGOs’ role in Bangladesh. Journal of HIV/AIDS & Social Services, 21(3–4), 167–193. (2022)
  • 7. The Rohingya refugee crisis: A threat to peace and security in South Asia. International Journal of Community and Social Development, 3(4), 353–371. (2021)
  • 8. Psychosocial stress and trauma during the COVID-19 pandemic: Evidence from Bangladesh. Asian Social Work and Policy Review, 15(2), 145–159. (2021)
  • 9. Social Work Education and Practice in Bangladesh: Issues and Challenges. In: S.M., S., Baikady, R., Sheng-Li, C., Sakaguchi, H. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of Global Social Work Education. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. (2020)

Conference

  • 1. Hossain, I., & Ahmad, I. (2018, December 18-19). “Role of NGOs for Reducing Vulnerabilities of HIV/AIDS Positive People: A Study in Sylhet”. Presented at the 5th International Integrative Research Conference on Governance and Modernization in Changing Environment, organized by BARD, Comilla, Bangladesh
  • 2. Ahmad, I. (2019, July 19-20). “Corporal Punishment in Primary Schools: A Study in Sylhet”. Presented at the 1st International Conference on Prospects and Challenges of Sustainable Development in Developing Countries, organized by the Faculty of Social Science, University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh
  • 3. Ahmad, I. (2020, February 5-8). “Promoting Climate-Smart Village through Social Work Interventions: The Case of Haor Areas of Bangladesh”. Presented at the 7th International Conference on Public Administration and Development (ICPAD), organized by Bangladesh Public Administration Training Center (BPATC), Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Teaching

  • Social Welfare Administration and Organizational Management
  • Demographic Issues and Population Studies