Islam was commissioned in the general duties (pilot) branch of the Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) in 1986.

[1] He served a stint as commander of the Bangladesh Air Force contingent in the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO).

[1][4] During the COVID-19 pandemic, while educational institutions were closed, he temporarily converted BAF Shaheen College Kurmitola into an isolation and treatment center.

[5] In July 2021, he was appointed vice-chancellor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Aviation and Aerospace University (BSMRAAU) for a two-year term.

[7] After retiring from the BAF, he became managing director of BDCOM Online Ltd., an internet service provider.