Editor Profile

Abul Kalam Azad

University/Organization: University of Dhaka

Country: Bangladesh

 Biography

Md. Abul Kalam Azad received his MSS in Sociology from University of Dhaka in 2006 and also successfully completed a Post-Graduate Diploma Degree in Disaster Management. His MSS dissertation was “Who Protects Who Destroys?: An Exploratory Research in Madhupur from Eco-feminist Perspective”. The research paper explores the application of eco-feminist perspective in context of Bangladeshi villages. He investigates the impact of environment degradation on women and men and gender differences of the roles as protectors and destructors of environment. The study finds out that rural women are nurturing the environment through almost of their everyday life activities. The role of women in planting, managing and protecting the sapling and trees are quite effective in protecting environment in rural areas. The study observed that in rural areas men are more engaged in the destruction of environment by felling trees, using agro-chemicals in agricultural land and bring solid and hazardous wastes in their households.

Mr. Azad has conducted an independent research on “Role of Disaster Governance in Health Risk Management during Humanitarian Crisis: A Case Study on Coastal Communities of Bangladesh”. The study explores the mechanisms placed to reduce risks related to health during and post humanitarian crisis and assesses the knowledge of the disaster affected people on the right to get health care services after a disaster. This piece of research finds out the community responses in enhancing the coordination mechanisms of health risk management in humanitarian settings. Besides, the study also assesses the role and coordination mechanisms between the key stakeholders in the health service delivery mechanism during humanitarian crisis in Bangladesh. Mr. Azad also conducted a research on ‘Gender Specific Adaptation Strategies and Disaster Response to Flood and Vulnerability in Northern Bangladesh’ funded by USAID, Bangladesh. In his research paper he examines the nature of vulnerabilities of women, identify the nature of gender specific mitigation efforts and capacity building strategies of women in disaster response and adaptation strategies during pre and post flood situation. Besides, he explores the role of NGOs in empowering women in responding disaster. His research area, further, covers in adaptation to Salinity Intrusion in Water in Coastal Communities of Bangladesh, Impacts of Climate Change on Livelihoods and Role of Women in Coastal Regions from a Disaster Risk Reduction Approach.

His main areas of expertise also include teaching at the different public and private universities as a lecturer in Sociology, Environment, Disaster Management, Social Policy and Development, Social Psychology, Society and Technology, Research Methodology. Prior to joining the Dhaka University in 2013, he worked as a lecturer in the Department of Sociology of Jagannath University from January 2011 to June, 2013. He also worked as a research officer in the Department of Sociology, University of Dhaka under the project ‘Sociology-CDMP project’ supported by CDMP. Mr. Azad was also serving as a Part-Time faculty of Master of Disaster Management (MDM) under the Institute of Disaster Management and Vulnerability Studies, University of Dhaka.