ARCHITECTURE POLITICS: POLITICS ARCHITECTURE Politics as the underlying force of Muzharul Islam’s Architecture of a Bengali Modernity

Architect Muzharul Islam is considered the pioneer of modern architecture of Bangladesh. When he started his career it was at the time when modern architecture was just taking off in the subcontinent. He laid down the foundation of Bengali modernism and modern architecture, which spearheaded the architectural development of the country. Muzharul Islam’s work was unique because it was without any post-colonial hangover, and neither was it a simple follow through of the international style. His work was so powerful that even today they stand as landmarks and as inspirational points for Bengali architects. However it will be a incomplete understanding of his works if they only seen as works of Modern Architecture. It would be important to understand what lead on to develop his work in the particular manner that he did, and not only that, it is also important to understand the value systems and ethics involved in developing what he called his own Bengali modernity. Islam was a socialist, an activist and a nationalist, he was involved in left wing politics and also very active in a cultural revolution for Bangladesh. Bangladesh at that time was East Pakistan, Pakistan a country torn into two, west and east, with huge cultural differences. Islam and his colleagues at that time understood that it was important for us to retain our own cultural identity and our identity was greatly different from that of West Pakistanis. It is from this understanding of our own cultural identity that Muzharul Islam formed his own political standpoint about a culturally different country. At that time all the intellectuals of the country were predominantly leftwing and they were also very much connected to this cultural revolution of East Pakistan. Muzharul Islam’s role in the cultural identity building of our county is unique, he did not only collaborate with artists, thinkers, literates and politicians, and he himself was able to give guidance and inspiration to different fields. The purpose of this thesis is not only to analyze some of Muzharul Islam’s works, but at the same time it will actually bring out that his works were not only that of an architect trying to set up the idea of Bengali modernity, but also trying to set up a national identity. This nation building politics was a unique character of Muzharul Islam and has strong connections to his work. Muzharul Islam’s political standpoint he was able to bring to his work a different layer and an insight, where the work itself became a way of politics. His idea of nation building was also shared by his contemporary artists, literates and even politicians. His association with those people will show that how this group of people, who were all connected, went on to be masters in their own fields; and the uniqueness of their works were based around their political viewpoints. This political point of view of nation building that brought force to their works and still sets their works apart from the works that is being done today. The thesis will analyze selected works, show his role of association with other thinkers of his time, and show his political consciousness. The thesis will evolve around the idea of how an architect’s personal politics becomes his way of architecture and how his way of architecture stands today as a symbol of politics of an architect.