Bangladesh bans Sheikh Mujib image from currency

Defence affairs

DHAKA: Bangladesh on Sunday began issuing new banknotes removing images of its founding president, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the father of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, whose trial on charges of orchestrating crimes against humanity also commenced in her absence.

The caretaker government, which has run the South Asian nation of some 170 million people since Ms Hasina fled last year, introduced the currency changes as it navigates a volatile political landscape.

Ms Hasina, 77, was overthrown in August 2024 following a student-led uprising.

“Under the new series and design, the notes will not feature any human portraits, but will instead showcase natural landscapes and traditional landmarks,” Bangladesh Bank spokesman Arif Hossain Khan said.

Until now, all notes featured the portrait of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who led Bangladesh to independence from Pakistan in 1971 and was assassinated in a 1975 coup.

New designs for the Muslim-majority nation include images of Hindu and Buddhist temples, historical palaces, artwork by the late painter Zainul Abedin depicting the Bengal famine, and the national martyrs’ memorial.

On Sunday, notes for three of the nine denominations were released. “The new notes will be issued from the central bank’s headquarters, and later from its other offices across the country,” Khan added, noting that “other denominations of the notes with new designs will be released in phases.” Existing notes and coins will remain legal tender.

This is not the first time banknote designs have reflected political shifts.

Initial 1972 notes featured a map, later replaced by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s image during periods led by his Awami League party. When the rival Bangladesh Nationalist Party was in power, historic sites were featured.