Research Interests

Global change, remote sensing and GIS application in coastal environment study, land use change modeling, regional geography of South Asia, spatial data base modeling

Currently engaged in research relating to; (i) regionalization process (South Asia) and possibility of future social and economic stability, (ii) Rohingya migration in to Bangladesh and its future consequences, (iii) organizing structure and materials for a book, ‘Geography of Bangladesh: A Critical Review’.

Lectures

The course ‘land cover change and land resource assessment’ discusses with land use related aspects including patterns, classification and process of change; soil and soils importance in relation to sustainable agriculture practices, and land classification; the link between land use and environment with examples from global south with case studies; management, policy and planning aspects of land use and environment with special case of urban land and environment.

The course ‘man-environment interaction in the global south’ focuses on man-environment interaction. The course discusses on how man and resource interacts to impact on the environment. The nature differs from developed countries to global south and approach to manage the environment requires different views. The course also includes basics of earth’s system in general, ecosystem, related political environment, how environment is related to global change, man-resource-environment link, and policies those play a pivotal role for sustainable future.

The course ‘Geography of South Asia’ focuses on all the geographical phenomena in general. The course discusses on physical aspects of South Asia as a foundation of other aspects, its people and their culture, pattern of economic and industrial growth, agriculture as the economic base, social and environmental problems, and certain questions relating to its intra-regional socio-political relation and future in relation to global change.

Involved in projects

• (2013-2016): Bangladesh Delta: Assessment of the Causes of Sea-level Rise Hazard and Integrated Development of Predictive Modelling Towards Mitigation and Adaptation, in collaboration with the University of Cologne, Germany under Band-Aid. Sub project Economic and social drivers of land use change in coastal Bangladesh” under DFG funding project
• (2012-2016): Co-leader of bilateral pedagogic research, development and exchange initiative project on environment and geographic education in collaboration with the Freiburg University of Education in Germany.
• (2010-2013): Team leader, Extension, updradation and renovation of optical fiber back bone campus network and development of automated office management system. Sponsor, UGC and World Bank. Cost US$ 550,000 (Taka 46,000,000).
• (2008-2009): Analyzing the change of land cover/land use pattern and management of rangeland in lesser Cholistan desert in Pakistan using satellite remote sensing”, sponsor, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan.
• (2007): Application of remote sensing in coral ecosystem change monitoring. Sponsor, Center for Disaster Management, Department of Geography and Environment, Dhaka University, Bangladesh.
• (2007-2008): Mapping underwater coral ecosystem change around St. martin’s island: towards development of an alternative method, Sponsor, Rajshahi University.
• (2006): Land Resource Assessment of the Coastal and Off Shore Islands in Bangladesh: A Study using Remotely Sensed Data”, Sponsor, University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh.
• (1998-2001): Project Director, Construct, Install and Operationalize a Fiber Optics Backbone based LAN for the Rajshahi University Campus (Campus Network) to connect 42 departments, all academic institutes and faculties. Cost about US $ 56,000 (Tk 2,500,000). Sponsor, Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of Bangladesh, 2001
• (2000): Application of GIS in Urban Cadastral and Facilities Management: A Study on Rajshahi City, Sponsor; University of Rajshahi.

Selected published works

1. Bernzen, A., Maruf, A. A., Lin, A., Ahmed, R. (2016), Landnutzungswandel im Küstenraum von Bangladesh (original in German) (Land Use Change in Coastal Bangladesh, Land management on Community and Household Level), Geographische Rundschau 7-8, pp 16-22.

2. Ahmed, R. and Roy, C. (2015), An integrated approach to environmental management in Bangladesh, in Global Sustainability, in Global Sustainability: Cultural Perspectives and Challenges for Transdisciplinary Integrated Research (ed. Benno Werlen), Springer, pp 185-201.

3. Hassan, M.K., Khan, J.I., Ahmed, R., Hossain, M.M.A. (2014), Road structure analysis using GPS information, Proceedings of the International Conference on Electrical Information and Communication Technology,  (Download fulltext)

4. Islam, S., Rana, M. P. and Ahmed, R. (2013), Environmental perception during rapid population growth and urbanization: a case study of Dhaka city, Environment, Development and Sustainability, 10.1007/s10668-013-9486-5. (Download fulltext)

5. Ahmed, B., Ahmed, R. and Zhu, Z., (2013), Evaluation of model validation techniques in land cover dynamics, ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information, Vol. 2, No. 3, pp. 577-597.

6. Ahmed B. and Ahmed, R. (2012), Modeling urban land cover growth dynamics using multi-temporal satellite images: a case study of Dhaka, Bangladesh, ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information, Vol. 1, No. 1, pp.3-31.

7. Rahman, M.M. and Ahmed, R. (2012), Urban data base management: an analysis in geographic perspective, Rajshahi City: Past and Present (in Bangla), Institute of Bangladesh Studies occasional publications, University of Rajshahi, Vol. 1, pp. 73-103.

8. Rahman, M.M. R. and Ahmed, R. (2012), Analysis, design and development of a GIS based municipal information system for Rajshahi City Corporation, Rajshahi City: Past and Present, Institute of Bangladesh Studies occasional publications, University of Rajshahi, Vol. 2, pp. 979-1008.

9. M. S. Islam and Ahmed, R. (Dec 2011), Land use change prediction in Dhaka City using GIS aided Markov Chain Modeling, Journal of Life and earth Science, University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh, Vol. 6, pp. 81-89.

10. Islam, M.S., Rahman, M.R., Shahabuddin, A.K.M. and Ahmed, R. (2010), ”Changes in wetlands in Dhaka City: trends and physico-environmental consequences”, Journal of Life Earth Science, University of Rajshahi, Vol. 5, pp. 37-42.

11. Islam, M.S., Ahmed, R., Shahabuddin, A.K.M. and Sheikh, A.H. (2009), appeared in May 2011), “Pattern of land use change and its dynamics of urban expansion in Dhaka City, Bangladesh”, the Journal of Geo-environment, University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh, Vol. 9, pp. 107-120.