Book Chapters

1. Islam, N (2024): Impact of New Planning Policies on Sustenance and Inclusivity of Street Trading in Dhaka: A Critical Review of Detail Area Plan 2016-2035, In: Mapping Legalities: Urbanization, law, and informal work, Eds: Coggin.T, Madhab. R, Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, London.
2. Islam, N (2025): Appreciating the Small and the Spontaneous: Role of Street Trading in Bangladesh, In: NEXT50: Collective Futures: Critical-creative perspectives on the built environment in Dhaka, University Press Limited, Dhaka.
3. Islam, N. & Wong, N. H. (2014): Urban Greenery as Mitigation Strategy for Urban Heat Island in High Density Commercial Districts of Dhaka, Bangladesh, In: Sustainability Matters: Asia’s Energy Concerns, Green policies and Environmental Advocacy, Eds: L. L. Heng, V. R. Savage, C. L. Ming, Y. Liya E & K. H. Wei, World Scientific Publishing, Singapore

Journal

1. Recio, R. B., Wolff, E., Alam, A., Routray, S., Gaisie, E., Marin‐Toro, A. & Islam, N.: Book review: Urban citizenship in the global south: Critical reflections on the tactics and counter‐tactics of the urban poor, New Zealand Geographer, Wiley, March 2023.
2. Khan, N.M.E.A & Islam, N.: Potentials and Challenges of Brown Field Development for Urban Regeneration in Dhaka context: A Case of Hazaribagh Tannery Area, Journal of Urban Regeneration and Renewal, Henry Stewart Publications, Vol 10, No 2, 2016, 152-168.
3. Fatemi, N & Islam, N.: Bridging the Gap between “Theory” and Practice: Role of Institutes in Furthering Awareness of Sustainability among Architects in Bangladesh, International Journal of Architecture, Engineering and Construction, Vol 5, No 4, December 2016, 217-225.

Refereed proceedings

1. Islam, N. & Zhang, Y.: Exploring the interrelation between street trading and urban form in Dhaka: A new morphological approach, Proceedings of 10^th Conference of the International Forum of Urbanism (IFoU), December 2017, Hong Kong, 360-369
2. Khan, N.M.E.A, Islam, N., Hasan,M.S., Ifat Sultana,I. & Rahman, M.L.: Exploring Design Approaches for Urban Regeneration of Brown Fields: a Case of Hazaribagh Tannery Area, Proceedings of 22nd ISUF International Conference, September 22- 26 2015, Rome, 2015.
3. Islam, N. & Fatemi, N.: Spaces for Social Cohesion in Planned City: A Search for Inspiration in Indigenous and New Spontaneously Developed Settlements of Dhaka, Proceedings of the third International Conference on Urban Design, ‘Cities, People & Places, ICCPP 2014, October 26- 27, Colombo, Sri Lanka, 2015.
4. Islam, N.: Towards Creating Better Cities: Problems and Potentials of Transit Oriented Development as community development tool in Dhaka, Proceedings of the second International Conference on Urban Design, ‘Cities, People & Places, ICCPP 2014, October 31-November 1, Colombo, Sri Lanka, 2014
5. Islam, N. & Fatemi, N.: Learning from Precedents: Emerging Urban Planning Practices towards Livable Communities in Dhaka, Proceedings of the second International Conference on Urban Design, ‘Cities, People & Places, ICCPP 2014, October 31-November 1, Colombo, Sri Lanka, 2014.
6. Islam, N.: Sustainable Strategies to Implement Industrial Ecology in Dhaka City: A Case Study of Hazaribagh Industrial Area, Proceedings of the International Conference on Engineering Research, Innovation and Education, ICERIE 2013, 11 ̶ 13 January, SUST, Sylhet, Bangladesh, 2013.
7. Fatemi, N. & Islam, N.: Implication of Architectural Education for Promoting Sustainable Built Environment in Bangladesh: Present Trends and Future Potentials, Proceedings of the International Seminar on Architecture: Education, Practice and Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh, 2012.
8. WONG, N. H., Islam, N., Ignatius, M. & JUSUF, S. K.: Simulation of Thermal Environment Using STEVE Tool to Assess Urban Greenery as Mitigation Strategy for Urban Heat Island in High Density Commercial Districts of Dhaka: Potential of Dhaka Building Construction Regulation, 2008, Proceedings of the International Conference on Local wisdom in Global Era: Enhancing the Locality in Architecture, Housing and Urban Environment, Yogyakarta, Indonesia, 2011.
9. Fatemi, N. & Islam, N.: Sustainability and Eco-adaptability in Vernacular Architecture of Bangladesh, Proceedings of the International Conference on Society, Technology and Sustainable Development, Cochin, India, 2011.

ONGOING RESEARCH PROJECTS

1. Co-PI in project titled- ”The production of lived space by domestic workers: A retrospective study of residential apartment designs in Dhaka.”, a CTRG granted project.
2. PI in project titled- ” Loose-informal urban spaces for urban resillience: a study of urban public domain in Dhaka”, a CTRG granted project.

Doctor of Philosophy (Architecture) (2023)

Dept. of Architecture, National University of Singapore, Singapore

Research area: Urban and development study

Thesis title: Space and location of trade as livelihood strategy of street traders in Dhaka

M.Sc. (Environmental Management) (2010)

School of Design and Environment, National University of Singapore, Singapore

Research area: Urban thermal environment

Thesis title: Urban Greenery as mitigation strategy for urban heat island in high density commercial districts of Dhaka.

Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch.) (2006)

Bangladesh University of Engineering & Technology, Bangladesh.

AFFILIATION WITH ORGANIZATIONS

• Member (I-086), Institute of Architects Bangladesh (IAB)
• SEED fellow, The Informal Urbanism Research Hub (Infur), The Melbourne School of Design

OTHER PROFESSIONAL ENGAGEMENTS

• 2023- Health Infrastructure Architect in the project “Digitalized Urban Health Care Infrastructure for DNCC”.
• 2025- Advisor, Local Expert Advisory Committee, Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC)
• 2025- Member, Environment and Urbanization Committee, Institute of Architects Bangladesh (IAB)
• 2025- Content creator, The Post

• Informal urbanism in public and private domain
• Critical nexus between socio-economic and spatial pattern of the city
• Production and politics of space, socio-spatial justice
• Health care planning and design
• Public health and urbanization
• Environmental management of cities