Researcher · Mental Health, Social Reintegration, Human Security & Security Paradoxes
Bridging social work, human security, and evidence-based policy to improve the well-being of veterans and vulnerable populations.
Dhaka, Bangladesh
My academic goal is to pursue advanced research on mental health, social well-being, the security paradox, veterans' affairs, reintegration into civilian life, and the support needs of military and paramilitary veterans as well as vulnerable populations. Building on my academic background in social work and human security, I aim to develo…
Read my full statementDegrees in Human Security and Social Welfare from the University of Dhaka.
University of Dhaka, Bangladesh
June 2012 – June 2013
Thesis: Community-Based Security in an Ethnically Diverse Region — The Role and Performance of Hill VDP in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.
University of Dhaka, Bangladesh
September 2009 – January 2011
Thesis: Education as a Pathway to Social Reintegration — Examining the UCEP Model for Displaced Street Children in Dhaka.
University of Dhaka, Bangladesh
April 2005 – March 2009
Field Practicum: National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation (NITOR), Dhaka.
Operational leadership in public service alongside research and evaluation consulting.
Bangladesh Ansar & Village Defence Party (VDP)
Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of Bangladesh
Green The Environment (GTE)
2 published and 6 manuscripts under review across mental health and social research.
Hossain, M. A., & Khalil, M. I.
Journal of Daoist Studies. 19(S13), 577–587
Coastal southwestern Bangladesh — the districts of Bagerhat, Khulna, and Satkhira on the eastern fringe of the Sundarbans — is among the most climate-exposed inhabited deltas on earth, facing cyclonic storm surge, progressive salinization, and a shrinking dry-season freshwater supply, yet adaptation policy in the region remains techno-managerial. This study specifically asks whether Daoist ecological ethics — ziran, wu wei, yin-yang balance, and pu — can productively complement, rather than substitute for, quantitative climate-vulnerability assessment and inform a more balanced reading of human security. Using secondary district-level indicators from the Bangladesh Population and Housing Census, the Household Income and Expenditure Survey, the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey, and Bangladesh Meteorological Department records, we constructed a transparent, formula-based Livelihood Vulnerability Index (LVI-IPCC), then mapped five Daoist principles onto empirically observable proxies for interpretation. Satkhira recorded the highest composite vulnerability and lowest human security of the three districts (LVI-IPCC = 0.362; Overall Vulnerability Index = 0.681; Human Security Index = 0.319 of 1.00), driven by the highest groundwater salinity, lowest rainfall, and weakest adaptive capacity, despite holding the lowest monetary poverty rate (18.6%) of the three — a divergence read through the Daoist critique of monetary-only security metrics. Bagerhat and Khulna scored closely, both substantially lower on vulnerability. These findings indicate that infrastructure-first adaptation should be weighed against nature-based, tidal-process-consistent alternatives, and that monetary poverty indicators alone understate climate-linked human insecurity in this delta, with implications for adaptation investment priorities across southwest Bangladesh.
Hossain, M. A.
Journal of Primeasia, 6(1), 1–10
Abstract: Depression remains one of the world’s most pervasive yet least openly expressed mental health conditions, and this silence is even more pronounced in rural regions of low- and middle-income countries. In Bangladesh, much of the national discourse on mental health overlooks the lived realities of rural communities, where socioeconomic vulnerabilities, aging, and limited awareness heighten risks. This study, supported by a community-level assessment from Lahini village in the Kushtia District, aims to contextualize rural depression within broader global and national findings. A survey of 100 adults was administered the PHQ-9, followed by chi-square (χ²) analyses examining associations between depression severity and key demographic factors including age, gender, marital status, occupation, and income. The findings reveal that 36% of respondents experienced moderate to severe depressive symptoms, aligning with global observations that rural populations face disproportionate mental health burdens. Age (p = 0.00016) and income (p = 0.00064) emerged as the strongest predictors of depressive severity, consistent with evidence that late-life vulnerability and economic instability significantly shape mental health outcomes. Notably, nearly 70% of individuals with the highest depression scores were aged 60–70, and more than half (57.14%) were widowed, suggesting the compounded impact of social isolation and economic precarity. In contrast, younger students reported the lowest depression levels. Alarmingly, only 19% of participants demonstrated any awareness of mental health conditions, underscoring a profound knowledge gap. Together, the study and local findings call for urgent psychosocial interventions, community-based education, and targeted support for elderly and economically disadvantaged populations in rural Bangladesh.
Hossain, M. A., Hossain, R., & Khalil, M. I.
The International Journal of Health Promotion and Education
Background: Bangladesh is one of the most climate change-vulnerable countries in the world, but to date, no valid quantitative study has measured eco-anxiety, the psychological distress that is unique to climate change fears, in the country using standard tools. The purpose of this study was to determine the extent and severity of eco-anxiety among the university students in Bangladesh and to explore the correlation between eco-anxiety and depression, anxiety, and stress. Methods: The study used a cross-sectional survey design, targeting 520 university students who were randomly selected from four public universities in Dhaka and Chittagong, from January to March 2025. The Climate Change Anxiety Scale (CCAS) was used to assess eco-anxiety, which is a validated scale. The Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) was used to measure mental health outcomes. A structured questionnaire was used for the collection of sociodemographic and climate exposure information. The analysis was performed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlations and multiple linear regression. Results: Of the 520 participants, 68.5% (n=356) scored clinically meaningful eco-anxiety (CCAS score ≥25). Mean CCAS score was 31.4 (SD=9.2). Eco-anxiety was significantly positively correlated with depression (r=0.52, p<0.001), anxiety (r=0.61, p<0.001), and stress (r=0.48, p<0.001). Females, coastal and flood-affected region students, and personally affected students had significantly higher eco-anxiety scores (p<0.05). After adjustment for age, gender and socioeconomic status, eco-anxiety was a significant independent predictor of anxiety symptoms (β=0.41, 95% CI: 0.28–0.54, p<0.001). Conclusion: Eco-anxiety is prevalent among university students from Bangladesh and is closely related to poor mental health. The findings are the first-ever validated data on eco-anxiety in Bangladesh and highlight the need to have a climate-informed mental health policy and targeted interventions for psychological distress in the climate-vulnerable population of South Asia.
National and international recognition for leadership, integrity, and service.
Awarded for exemplary leadership and meritorious services in the government organization.
For exemplary contribution to rural community safety and development.
International certificate awarded for attending the seminar held on 28 November 2022 in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Specialised training in security, governance, and countering violent extremism.
Ansar Academy, Shafipur, Gazipur, Bangladesh
18 months
Bangladesh Public Administration Training Academy (BPATC)
6 months
Global Centre for Nuclear Energy Partnership, Department of Atomic Energy, India
2 Weeks
Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies
Languages I read, write, and present research in — with the English proficiency International programs require.
Listening 8.5 · Reading 6.5 · Writing 6.5 · Speaking 7.0
Research updates, milestones, and reflections on my PhD journey.
Rethinking Human Security and Community Resilience in Coastal Bangladesh is now published in the Journal of Daoist Studies (2026).
Why I am seeking opportunities for higher research focused on the well-being and reintegration of military and paramilitary veterans, security paradoxes, and vulnerable populations.
My community-level assessment of rural depression in Bangladesh is now published in the Journal of Primeasia (2025).
I'm actively seeking a research position and research partnerships in veteran mental health and social reintegration. Let's start a conversation.
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