The 21st International Conference on History and Heritage and the Annual General Meeting 2026 was successfully held on Saturday at the auditorium of the Asiatic Society of Bangladesh, Dhaka. The day-long event brought together leading historians, researchers, and academicians from Bangladesh and abroad to discuss diverse themes of history, culture, and heritage.
The conference was presided over by Professor Dr. Sharif Uddin Ahmed, President of Itihas Academy, Dhaka. Professor Dr. Wakil Ahmed, former Vice-Chancellor of the National University, Bangladesh, attended the event as the Honorable Chief Guest.
The welcome address was delivered by Professor Dr. Samina Sultana, Founder and Executive Director of Itihas Academy. The keynote paper was presented by Dr. Mohammad Mojahidul Islam from the Department of History, Jahangirnagar University, who highlighted key developments and research trends in historical studies.
More than one hundred researchers from home and abroad presented thematic papers across 18 academic sessions, covering a wide range of topics in medieval, colonial, liberation war, and cultural history. The presentations generated meaningful discussions among participants and enriched the academic exchange.
During the conference, several prestigious awards were conferred in recognition of outstanding contributions to historical research. These included the Historian Dr. Abdul Karim Memorial Award for Medieval History, the Historian Dr. K. M. Mohsin Memorial Award for Colonial Period Studies, the Historian Dr. A. F. Salahuddin Ahmed Memorial Award for Liberation War Studies, and the Folklorist Ashraf Siddiqui Memorial Award for Culture.
Following the conference, the Annual General Meeting of the Executive Committee of the Academy was also held, where organizational progress and future activities were discussed.
Itihas Academy, Dhaka is recognized as a leading organization dedicated to historical and heritage research in Bangladesh. Although its activities began informally in 2001 at Jagannath University, it was officially registered in 2005. The Academy currently has 808 national and 544 international members and operates from its office in Mirpur, Dhaka.
The organization regularly hosts international seminars, research workshops, and publishes its academic journal Itihas Prabandhamala. Researchers and postgraduate degree holders interested in history and heritage are eligible to become members of the Academy.