In 2002–2003, Baharul Islam was seconded to the Addis Ababa University as an Associate Professor. To serve the grassroots communities, Islam initiated an NGO in Assam, India called PFI Foundation, and served as its Honorary Executive Director. While working for the Foundation, he received two Certificates of Recognition from World Bank Development Marketplace Award in 2003 and 2007 for his projects on the Education of Disabled Children in Ethiopia and Mobile Eye Care Clinic in Northeast India respectively.[9]