Muzharul Islam

Muzharul Islam has been lauded as the most influential architect of Bangladesh and the Grand Master of regional modernism in South Asia. Not only he is credited for introducing modern architecture in his work during the 1960s and 70s, also he was the one, who actively invited a number of international architects like Louis I Kahn, Stanley Tigerman and Paul Rudolph to work in Bangladesh. Throughout an illustrious career of 50 years, an educator and activist, Islam devoted much of his time and knowledge to bring about social changes through his work. Among his most well known projects are the Institute of Arts and Crafts , Dhaka, Public Library (at present Dhaka University Library) Dhaka, Jahangirnagar University Master Plan and designs for Students' Hostel, Readers' Quarters, Class IV Employees' Quarters, Dhaka and many more. 

"Independence brings in the greatest opportunity for a nation to express its thoughts, talent and energy. By enhancing the characters of the collective mind, it creates the utmost possibility to consolidate society economy and culture. Independence has no alternative. The liberation war of 1971 has created such a great opportunity and possibility. It provided the necessary prerequisite to make a unique contemporary architecture, which would be able to speak truly of its own land, nature and climate. Now, we the architects can construct the right and distinct kind of architecture for an independent people."

"The artistic qualities are essence of architecture. The practical aspects of architecture are measurable – such as, the practical requirements, climatic judgments, the advantages and limitations of the site etc. – but the humanistic aspects are not measurable. This depends on the talent, sensitivity and creativity of the architect. Only some bookish knowledge is not a sufficient tool in this regard. One has to be creative. One has to love his own land, its people and its culture and think profoundly about these. The love of one's own land is the eternal source of creative power, which in turn, makes a proper architect."

The quoatations are excerpts from an interview taken by the renowned architect Shamsul Wares, which got published in the literary magazine Kali O Kolom and later was translated by the Muzharul Islam Archive, a project of the Muzharul Islam Foundation