Short Biography:
Muhammad Risalat Rafiq has a sound educational background in geology and hydrogeology. He has been working at the University of Barishal for over a decade with pleasure (and pride). He was on study leave for his PhD at the Technical University of Delft in the Netherlands from 2016 to 2020. His primary focus lies in hydrogeochemistry and groundwater quality, with expertise in PHREEQC geochemical modelling. His main research involves studying the mobilization of trace metals (arsenic, iron, manganese) in Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) systems in Bangladesh.
Risalat went to Motijheel Model High School and Notre Dame College, achieving good academic results. He then completed a Bachelor of Science with Honors in Geology and a Master of Science in Hydrogeology from the University of Dhaka. While pursuing his MS thesis, he worked on saline water intrusion in and around Cox’s Bazar Town with renowned Professor Dr. Kazi Matin Uddin Ahmed.
Once he completed his MS, Risalat began working as a junior hydrogeologist in a project called “Managed Aquifer Recharge for Community Water Supply in Saline Areas”. It was a project funded by UNICEF Bangladesh and conducted by the Department of Geology, University of Dhaka, collaborating with the Department of Public Health and Engineering, 7 NGOs, and Acacia Water Netherlands. While working on this project, he was responsible for collecting field data, performing water sampling, doing laboratory analyses, processing data, and mapping with GIS and other related software.
Risalat is recognized for his commitment to academic excellence and innovative research in hydrogeology and hydrogeochemistry. His work has significantly contributed to understanding water resource challenges in Bangladesh and developing sustainable solutions for climate-resilient water management. His research encompasses the quality of groundwater, saline intrusion, and aquifer recharge systems. Risalat has a citation count of 89, an h-index of 5, and an i10-index of 4. He has also been awarded several research grants and unfunded scholarships and received funding from the University of Barishal and the Ministry of Education, Bangladesh, for projects focusing on groundwater quality and associated health risks. He is actively involved in issues concerning sustainable water management and climate change mitigation, thus impacting how the environment is affected in Bangladesh.
Research Interests:
Education
| Degree Name | Group/Major Subject | Institute | Country | Passing Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Master of Science | Geology (Hydrogeology) | University of Dhaka | Bangladesh | 2012 |
Experience
| Title | Organization | From Date | To Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assistant Professor | University of Barishal | 2020-06-08 | 2025-04-21 |
| Assistant Professor | Geology and Mining, University of Barishal, Bangladesh | 2020-06-08 | 2025-04-21 |
| PhD Candidate | Delft University of Technology, Department of Water Management, The Netherlands | 2016-01-01 | 2020-06-07 |
| Lecturer | Geology and Mining, University of Barishal, Bangladesh | 2014-12-10 | 2020-06-07 |
| Junior Hydrogeologist | UNICEF | 2013-01-01 | 2014-12-09 |
Research Activities
| Sl. | Name | Research Project Title | Funding Agency | Duration | Status | Attachment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Muhammad Risalat Rafiq | A comparative study to assess the health risk of salinity and geogenic elements (Fe & As) between shallow and deep groundwater in Betagi upazilla, Barguna, Bangladesh | University Grants Commission | 2020-06-01 - 2021-07-31 | Completed | Download |
| 2 | Muhammad Risalat Rafiq | Application of WQI and geospatial modelling for the appraisal of drinking water quality and human health risk of coastal aquifers in and around Barishal, Bangladesh | University Funded | 2023-06-01 - 2024-07-31 | Completed | Download |
| 3 | Muhammad Risalat Rafiq | Correlation of onsite and redox-sensitive parameters between shallow and deep aquifers in Barishal, Bangladesh. | University Funded | 2021-06-01 - 2022-07-31 | Completed | Download |
Resources
No Data Found
Publication
| Sl. | Details |
|---|---|
| 1 |
Rafiq, M. R., Kruisdijk, E., Ahmed, K. M., Rietveld, L. C., and van Breukelen, B. M., 2026, (Im)mobilization of iron, manganese, and arsenic during managed aquifer recharge in Bangladesh: Push-pull tests under oxidative and reductive conditions: Water Research, v. 289, p. 124878. |
| 2 |
Aktar, S., Hossain, M., Rakib, M. M. H., Saha, S. C., Ovi, M. H., Roy, D., Khan, A., Hasan, I., Salman, M. A., Khan, R., Rafiq, M. R., and Roy, D. K., 2025, Geomorphological responses to climate change in the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna Delta: A multi-decadal remote sensing analysis: Quaternary Science Advances, v. 19, p. 100296. |
| 3 |
Laboni, M., Rahman, S. A., Sultana, S., Islam, M. M., Salman, M. A., and Rafiq, M. R., 2025, Comparative analysis of shallow and deep groundwater chemistry, focusing on spatial distribution and assessment of associated health risks at the south-central coastal areas of Bangladesh: Water Practice and Technology, v. 20, no. 6, p. 1422-1436. |
| 4 |
Sultana, S., Rahman, M. M., Nawrin, N., Rafiq, M. R., & Sakib, N. (2025). A Hydrochemical Characterization & Quality Assessment of Groundwater and River water at Kaptai-Lichubagan Roadcut Section, Kaptai Upazila, Rangamati Hill District, Bangladesh. The Dhaka University Journal of Earth and Environmental Sciences, 13(2), 31–47. https://doi.org/10.3329/dujees.v13i2.79451 |
| 5 |
Sultana, S., Nawrin, N., Rafiq, M. R., Chowdhury, M., Shaishab, A. S. ., Labonya, S. T. ., & Ahmed, K. M. (2024). Hydrogeochemical Investigation and Estimation of Aquifer Properties at Dhaka University Campus. The Dhaka University Journal of Earth and Environmental Sciences, 12(2), 55–67. https://doi.org/10.3329/dujees.v12i2.73163 |
| 6 |
Roy, D.K., Goswami, S., Saha, A., Mallik, S.,
Rahman, S.A., Rafiq, M.R., Hasan, I., 2024. Assessing Coastal Groundwater
Quality: Implications of Climate Change in Rangabali Upazila, Patuakhali,
Bangladesh. Barishal University Journal of Science and Engineering, Vol. 9:
255-276 (June 2024), ISSN 2411-247X. |
| 7 |
Mst Laboni, Shaikh Ashikur Rahman, Sonia Khan Sony, Muhammad Risalat Rafiq (2023). Quantifying Riverbank Erosion and Associated Land Cover Changes Across The Coastal Upazila of Hizla, Bangladesh: An Integrated Approach Using GIS And Machine Learning. Earth Sciences Malaysia, 7(2): 164-173. |
| 8 |
Rahman, S. A., Islam, M. M., Salman, M. A., Rafiq, M. R. (2022). Evaluating bank erosion and identifying possible anthropogenic causative factors of Kirtankhola River in Barishal, Bangladesh: an integrated GIS and Remote Sensing approaches. International Journal of Engineering and Geosciences, 7(2), 179-190. |
| 9 |
Goswami, S., Rahman, S.A., Alam, M.M.T.,
Rahman, M., Rafiq, M.R., Jaman, M.H., and Roy, D.K., 2022. Assessment of
Shoreline Changes and the Groundwater Quality along the Coast of Kuakata,
Patuakhali, Bangladesh. Journal of Ecological Engineering, 23(7),
pp.323-332. https://doi.org/10.12911/22998993/149938 |
| 10 | Read more |
| 11 |
Goswami, S., Rahman, S. A., Alam, M. M. T., Rahman, M., Rafiq, M. R., Jaman, M. H. & Roy, D. K. (2022). Assessment of Shoreline Changes and the Groundwater Quality along the Coast of Kuakata, Patuakhali, Bangladesh. Journal of Ecological Engineering, 23(7), 323–332. |
| 12 |
Md. Abdullah Salman, Md. Saleh Shakeel Nomaan, Saifullah Sayed, Ayon Saha, Muhammad Risalat Rafiq (2021). Land Use and Land Cover Change Detection by Using Remote Sensing and Gis Technology in Barishal District, Bangladesh. Earth Sciences Malaysia, 5(1): 33-40. |
| 13 |
Ferdous, F., Rafiq, M. R., & Mahmud, M. I. (2016). Aquifer Geometry and Water Quality in Relation to Occurrence and Distribution of Peat in Baghia-Chanda Beel, Bangladesh. Journal of Scientific Research, 8(3), 355–370. |
Award
No Data Found
Teaching
| Course | Resources Link | Semester/Year |
| GMT 103: Physical Geology and Geomorphology | 1st Year | |
| GMT 205: Geology of Bangladesh | 2nd Year | |
| GMT 206: Hydrology | 2nd Year | |
| GMT 311: Oceanography and Coastal Geology | 3rd Year | |
| GMT 405: Applied Hydrogeology | 4th Year | |
| GMT 413: Research Methodology | 4th Year |