He was commissioned with 14th BMA Long Course on 27 June 1986 in the Corps of Infantry of the Bangladesh Army.

As a staff officer, he served as the brigade major of an infantry brigade, and then served as an instructor at the School of Infantry & Tactics and at the Defence Services Command and Staff College, in Mirpur.

He has also served in the DGFI as Director CIB, AFD as DG Intelligence.

[6] His operational service includes a deployment in support of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq as an observer.

[14][15][16] Shafeenul Islam was praised by the prime minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, for his efforts to diversify tea products including using tea to make pickles and cosmetic products.