The Aga Khan Award for Architecture (AKAA) has celebrated the two winning Bangladeshi projects.

The AKAA has had a storied and successful presence in the country with the latest two winning projects, said the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) in a media statement on Thursday.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Director of AKAA, Farrokh Derakhshani noted that Bangladeshi architects have received more recognition by the Award than any other country before presenting Award certificates together with Munir. M. Merali, AKDN’s Resident Diplomatic Representative to recognise and celebrate the two winning projects.

In appreciation of the partnership with AKDN, Acting Foreign Secretary Khorshed Alam said that the protocol signed by the government with AKDN has resulted in additional investments by the Network in the country including the establishment of the Aga Khan Academy in Dhaka.

The last edition of the AKAA announced at the Award ceremonies held in Muscat, the Sultanate of Oman, on 31 October 2022.

Read: Stamp on Royal Opera House Muscat launched at Aga Khan Award function

Previous winners from Bangladesh include the Arcadia Education Project in South Kanarchor (Architect Saif Ul Haque) in 2019; Bait Ur Rouf Mosque in Dhaka (Architect Marina Tabassum) and the Friendship Centre in Gaibandha (Architect Kashef Chowdhury) in 2016; a school in Rudrapur (2007) as well as the Grameen Bank Housing Programme and the National Assembly Building (1989).

Arch. Marina Tabassum serves in the Steering Committee for the Award – a great honour not only for the architect, but for the entire country.

The nine-member Master Jury for the 2020 – 2022 Award cycle also included a Bangladeshi architect – Professor Kazi Khaleed Ashraf.

Aga Khan Trust for Culture has worked with the Faculty of Architecture at BRAC University to survey the Islamic Heritage in Bangladesh.

The work of the AKAA has led to over 9,000 building projects that have been documented and along with other projects in Muslim societies are now available on archnet.org.

They range from rural schools to urban water towers, from state-of-the-art skyscrapers to modest mud-brick structures.

Read: 2 Bangladesh projects win 2022 Aga Khan Award for Architecture

The special reception in Dhaka was attended by Government Officials, Diplomats, Members of Civil Society, Business, and Media, Heads and Staff of AKDN Agencies and Members of the Ismaili Community.

The event also served to mark the 10th Anniversary of the signing of the Protocol of Co-operation between AKDN and the Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh.

Read more: Bangladeshi projects shortlisted for Aga Khan Award for Architecture 2022

Building upon previous agreements with the government of Bangladesh, the bi-lateral relations were further enhanced with the signing of the above Protocol on 16 September 2013 – that has provided an enhanced framework and structure for further collaboration between the government and AKDN in the areas of social, cultural, and economic development – to help improve the quality of life of all Bangladeshis.