Ahmed’s painting style is iconic, standing out from the work of all his fellow Bangladeshi artists. He has a distinct oil-on-canvas style heavily influenced by European artists. It is argued that Shahabuddin is greatly inspired by European artists from the 1980s, especially that of Francis Bacon.

Ahmed’s works rely on minimalism and stark realism. Despite his European style, he always addresses his subject matter as something closer to home. His works are often described as “…baroque-like figures turned towards space seeking light and energy.” In his work, the subject is suspended in a mass of monochrome blank space and consists mostly of earthy tones, with perhaps one pop of color. His work is also described as “…figures [that] seem to be enthralled in the cosmic dance, at times merging with the ethereal forces.”

One of Ahmed’s most popular works of art is “The Freedom Fighter,” depicting a figure in motion. This is another characteristic of his works—his subjects appear to be in motion, with parts of the subject always in a blur, gently mixing in with the background. However, some parts of the subject are always distinctively in focus, to the extent that you can differentiate every muscle and sinew present in it in perfect proportion. This is one of the aspects of Shahabuddin’s art that sets him apart from his fellow contemporary artists from Bangladesh. His work is described as “The imagery of fearless human figures, which are in the motion of running, seems to burst free from their skin with their flesh, blood, and sinew…”

Although much of his works are about the Liberation War, Shahabuddin has declared that he detested violence, and his art was representative of the struggles he had to overcome as someone who was involved in the war. He also painted many portraits of important figures such as Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Mahatma Gandhi.