Rahman, Mustafizur

Rahman, Mustafizur (1930-1998) zoologist, ecologist, and writer. Born in Akkelpur of the greater Bogra district, on 2 April 1930, he received his early education at Akkelpur High School, Bogra and carmichael college, rangpur. He obtained his BSc degree from Dhaka University in 1950 and MSc degree from Punjab University, Lahore, Pakistan in 1952. He started his career as lecturer in Zoology at MC College, Sylhet in the same year. In 1959 he joined as Assistant Entomologist in the Jute Research Institute, Dhaka. He obtained PhD degree from the University of South Australia, Adelaide in 1966, and joined as Senior Lecturer in Zoology at Rajshahi University in 1967. He became the first Head of the Department of Zoology in 1972, when the department got its separate entity. Prior to that zoology was taught under the Department of Botany. Mustafizur Rahman became Associate Professor in 1970, and Professor in 1975.

Professor Rahman was a specialist in insect ecology and worked on important insects like silkworm and lac insect. He has to his credit about 50 research papers on Ecology and Entomology, published in different international journals. He authored the books Aumerudondi Prani (Invertebrate Zoology), and Keettatta (Entomology) published by the bangla academy. He was one of the founder fellows of the Zoological Society of Pakistan, and elected councilor for 1968-1971. He was also the founder fellow of the Zoological Society of Bangladesh, and was General Secretary (1973-1974), Vice-President (1975-1981), and President (1982-1985). He was also the Vice-President of the Bangladesh Association for the Advancement of Science (1979-1980).

Professor Rahman was the Chief Editor of Rajshahi University Studies, and Editor in-Chief of the University Journal of Zoology, Rajshahi University. He died on 30 December 1998. [M Wahedul Islam] [Islam, Md Wahedul Professor, Institute of Biological Sciences, Rajshahi University]