Since its inception in 1985 the National Crafts Council of Bangladesh (NCCB) has been involved in craft development and promotion through research, documentation and a range of support services for craftspeople. The Crafts Council’s objectives have been to discover the lost craftsmanship of Bangladesh, to revive traditional crafts, to ensure the purity of craft forms and to recognize the lifetime contribution of artisans who have not only kept traditional crafts alive but have transferred them successfully to the next generation.

The Council has initiated a major annual event, the Master craftsperson’s Award since 1989 to recognize and honour the finest craftsmanship. Another important national award is the Shilu Abed Award for Crafts instituted in her memory in 1998 by BRAC-Aarong for her contribution to crafts as the Adviser-Aarong. From 1999 the Crafts Council has been given the full responsibility of administering this major award.