- Biography
- Imamur Hossain is Assistant Professor in the Department of Architecture and he also serves as the Centre Coordinator of the International Centre for Development and Environmental Studies (ICDES) at Sonargaon University. His work sites in the intersection of critical heritage studies and architectural conservation combining international editorial leadership, collaborative research, and professional practice. He is Managing Editor of two international, open-access, double-blind peer-reviewed journals, South Asian Cultural Studies (SACS) and the Journal of the Built Environment of the Global South, of which he is a founding-team member. Within the Association of Critical Heritage Studies (ACHS), the leading global international association bringing together heritage researchers, practitioners, and policymakers, he coordinates the Early Career Researchers Network with colleagues across four continents. Following his architectural education at BUET, Imamur pursued postgraduate studies through the University of Leicester's School of Heritage and Culture, completing the hybrid programme with Distinction under a fully funded Commonwealth Scholarship. In 2025 he held a fully funded fellowship at UNESCO WHIPIC, the International Centre for the Interpretation and Presentation of World Heritage Sites in the Republic of Korea. Working alongside international colleagues, he contributed research on inclusive and polyphonic interpretation. He previously received a WHIPIC Commendation Award for work on peace and reconciliation through heritage interpretation. In July 2026 he took part in the 48th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, held at BEXCO in Busan, Republic of Korea. His scholarship examines cultural memory, institutional authority and the representation of contested and marginalised histories. In 2026 he co-edited ‘Decolonising South Asian Built Environment: Exploring Contemporary Practices, Pedagogies and Dichotomous Socio-political Implications’, the inaugural volume of JBEGS, and ‘Between Chaos and Cohesion: An Explosive Re-emergence of Dhaka’, a special volume of South Asian Cultural Studies. Published with Academic Press and Publishers Library (APPL), these volumes bring together international contributors examining architectural practice, pedagogy, cultural change and the politics of place. At Sonargaon University his work through ICDES connects international workshops and scholarly dialogue with publication and researcher development, and his convening responsibilities extend to convening symposium and programmes involving Bursa Technical University, TMMOB Turkiye, and the Bangladesh Institute of Planners. His research has contributed to national heritage recognition and public engagement. Imamur participated in the research and preparation of dossiers for Bangladesh's Mughal forts and mosques, added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List in 2023, and co-authored the 2 government publication Mughal Forts in Bangladesh. At his practice-research intersection work, he directed architectural documentation, conservation planning and heritage interpretation at the national and international heritage projects. As Principal Investigator and Co-Founder of Amar Oitijjho, supported by a USD 5,000 Edward M. Kennedy Center grant, he led an interdisciplinary initiative combining architectural research, and machine learning to explore heritage accessibility with underserved communities. The project's fieldwork and published research examine how digital technologies influence cultural learning, participation and the representation of community histories. Imamur's international invitations include keynote addresses at Gautam Buddha University and the CSIR-CBRI and Gautam Buddha University heritage programme; lectures at BUET, Silpakorn University and Vellore Institute of Technology; and expert contributions to UNESCO, WHIPIC and beyond. He has chaired international academic sessions and reviewed for the International Journal of Heritage Studies (Routledge), Space and Culture (SAGE), Planning Malaysia Journal and World Monuments Fund. Alongside his two Managing Editorships, he serves as Associate Editor of Sonargaon University Journal. His heritage research and professional work have received coverage from Deutsche Welle, Jamuna Television, Prothom Alo and Kaler Kantho.
