[1] Rafiqul joined the Signals Corps of the Bangladesh Army on 30 November 1976.

From 1993 to 1994 he served as the deputy regional commander of the United Nations Operation in Mozambique.

Rafiqul Islam served as the Director of Signals in the Bangladesh Army Headquarters.

He served in the Prime Minister's Office and the Armed Forces Division as the director of operations.

[4] He left the Bangladesh Border Guards on 1 July 2011 and was replaced by Major General Anwar Hussain.