Bangladeshi researcher and entrepreneur Rakibul Islam has received approval for research funding from two US-based organizations this year for projects covering artificial intelligence, healthcare analytics, engineering project management, and financial risk.
On February 24, JPMorgan Chase & Co. informed Islam that his research proposal on global financial risk had been approved for a grant of $24,000. The project examines the spillover effects of global, local, and mutual risks on financial stress and how major powers respond to such risks.
On April 3, Deep Neuron Research & Consultancy approved $6,000 in funding for a joint research project on an explainable artificial intelligence framework for risk-based decision-making in engineering project management. Islam is one of six researchers on the project.
Islam’s research also includes the use of artificial intelligence in healthcare, particularly for gastrointestinal polyp detection and classification and kidney CT scan analysis. He also serves as a peer reviewer for publications associated with Springer Nature and IEEE.
Islam completed his undergraduate degree at North South University in Bangladesh before earning an MBA in Business Analytics from International American University in Los Angeles, where he achieved a CGPA of 3.93 out of 4.00. He later joined California Baptist University on a full (100%) scholarship for a research-based PhD program in Leadership Studies, as recorded in the university’s scholarship award letter.
Before moving into his current work in the United States, Islam worked at Grameenphone and Star IT Limited in Bangladesh. During nearly eight years at Star IT, he held executive responsibilities and led a technical team. He also worked as a project director for Rideox, an intercity ride-sharing platform that operated across 16 districts.
Since January 2022, Islam has served as IT Project Director (Consultant) of Fabric Lagbe Limited, a digital marketplace for the textile and ready-made garments sector. The platform received the Bangabandhu Innovation Grant (BIG) from the ICT Division in 2023 and the Excellence in Investment Award from the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) in 2025. His role is recorded in a confirmation letter signed by the company’s Founder and Managing Director.
Islam has also worked as a contractual coordinator with the Cyber Security Division of Bangladesh Police, where he was involved in technical teams providing forensic and ICT-based support in cybercrime cases. He was also involved in developing a centralized database and web applications for the Bangladesh Industrial Police and in developing database and web systems for the Centre of Excellence for Bangladesh Apparel Industry.
In the United States, Islam currently serves as president of NextGen Infotech LLC. He is also a co-founder of BulkBuddy LLC, a venture established with six Bangladeshi entrepreneurs to promote Bangladeshi-made ready-made garments in international markets.
His wife, physician Masrufa Akter Muni, is also involved in healthcare research. She completed her MBBS and FCPS Part 1 in Bangladesh and passed the MRCP Part 1 examination of the Royal College of Physicians in the UK. According to the information provided, she has co-authored nine healthcare research papers.