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The Print
4 days ago
- Business
- The Print
Bangladesh replaces its founder Mujibur Rehman with temples, landmarks in new currency notes
The Bangladesh Bank has unveiled redesigned Tk 20, Tk 50, and Tk 1,000 notes ahead of Eid. '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 told AFP. The new notes will showcase symbols of the country's heritage, including temples, monasteries, historic buildings, and artwork by Zainul Abedin, a prominent Bangladeshi artist. New Delhi: Bangladesh's central bank, under Nobel Laureate Mohammad Yunus' interim administration, has dropped the portrait of the country's founding father and exiled leader Sheikh Hasina's father Sheikh Mujibur Rehman from new currency notes. The Tk 20 note features the Kantaji Temple, a Hindu temple in Dinajpur, and the Paharpur Monastery. The Tk 50 note showcases Ahsan Manzil, a palace in capital Dhaka and a famine-era painting by Zainul Abedin. The Tk 1,000 note, printed in purple, includes images of the National Martyrs' Memorial and the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban. All three bear the Royal Bengal Tiger watermark and the bank's monogram. The redesigned notes are being introduced following a political controversy over Sheikh Mujibur Rehman's face on the currency notes. Last Eid, despite tradition, no new notes were issued. After the July protests and the ousting of ex-Prime Minister Hasina, the central bank barred commercial banks from circulating stored notes bearing Mujib's image. The central bank says the new designs aim to curb counterfeiting while emphasising national identity through depictions of historic and religious landmarks. The updated banknotes will gradually replace existing notes, though older versions featuring Mujib's portrait as well as current coins will remain legal tender, The Daily Star reported. Also Read: Retd Bangladeshi major general calls for 'occupation' of India's Northeast if it attacks Pakistan Symbolic changes The currency redesign is the latest in a series of symbolic changes made under the interim administration. Similar changes have surfaced in the education sector. The National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) has revised the content of 441 textbooks for the 2025 academic year, removing or altering references to Mujib's role in Bangladesh's independence. Some new textbooks now credit General Ziaur Rahman with declaring the country's freedom, reversing decades of official narrative. Over 400 million updated textbooks have already been distributed to students nationwide, according to The Daily Star. (Edited by Viny Mishra) Also Read: Shake-ups & protests lay bare simmering fault lines between Yunus govt & Bangladesh's diplomats
Al Arabiya
5 days ago
- Business
- Al Arabiya
Bangladesh banknotes replace ousted PM's father portrait
Bangladesh on Sunday issued new banknotes to replace designs featuring its founding president, the father of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina who was overthrown last year. The South Asian nation of some 170 million people has been run by a caretaker government since Hasina fled -- whose trial opened Sunday on charges of trying to crush the uprising against her government in August 2024. Until now, all notes featured the portrait of her father, the late Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who led Bangladesh from independence from Pakistan in 1971 until soldiers assassinated him and most of his family in a 1975 coup. '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 told AFP. Among the designs in the Muslim-majority nation are images of Hindu and Buddhist temples, as well as historical palaces. They also include artwork of the late painter Zainul Abedin, depicting the Bengal famine during British colonial rule. Another will depict the national martyrs' memorial for those who died in the independence war against Pakistan. On Sunday, notes for three of the nine different denominations were released. 'The new notes will be issued from the central bank's headquarters, and later from its other offices across the country,' he added. 'The other denominations of the notes with new designs will be released in phases'. Existing notes and coins will remain in circulation alongside the new notes. It is not the first time that the design has changed to reflect changing politics. Initial notes issued in 1972 -- after Bangladesh changed its name from East Pakistan -- featured a map. Later notes featured Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who led the Awami League, which Hasina also led during her 15 years in power. When other parties were in charge -- dominated by the powerful Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) -- historic and archaeological sites featured. The Awami League was banned last month pending the trial of Hasina and other party leaders. Hasina, 77, is in self-imposed exile in India, and has defied an extradition order to attend her trial.
Khaleej Times
5 days ago
- Business
- Khaleej Times
Bangladesh banknotes replace ousted PM's father portrait
Bangladesh on Sunday issued new banknotes to replace designs featuring its founding president, the father of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina who was overthrown last year. The South Asian nation of some 170 million people has been run by a caretaker government since Hasina fled -- whose trial opened Sunday on charges of trying to crush the uprising against her government in August 2024. Until now, all notes featured the portrait of her father, the late Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who led Bangladesh from independence from Pakistan in 1971 until soldiers assassinated him and most of his family in a 1975 coup. "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 told AFP. Among the designs in the Muslim-majority nation are images of Hindu and Buddhist temples, as well as historical palaces. They also include artwork of the late painter Zainul Abedin, depicting the Bengal famine during British colonial rule. Another will depict the national martyrs' memorial for those who died in the independence war against Pakistan. On Sunday, notes for three of the nine different denominations were released. "The new notes will be issued from the central bank's headquarters, and later from its other offices across the country," he added. "The other denominations of the notes with new designs will be released in phases". Existing notes and coins will remain in circulation alongside the new notes. It is not the first time that the design has changed to reflect changing politics. Initial notes issued in 1972 -- after Bangladesh changed its name from East Pakistan -- featured a map. Later notes featured Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who led the Awami League, which Hasina also led during her 15 years in power. When other parties were in charge — dominated by the powerful Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) -— historic and archaeological sites featured. The Awami League was banned last month pending the trial of Hasina and other party leaders. Hasina, 77, is in self-imposed exile in India, and has defied an extradition order to attend her trial.
Malay Mail
5 days ago
- Business
- Malay Mail
Bangladesh drops founding father Mujibur Rahman from currency as daughter Hasina faces trial
DHAKA, June 1 — Bangladesh today issued new banknotes to replace designs featuring its founding president, the father of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina who was overthrown last year. The South Asian nation of some 170 million people has been run by a caretaker government since Hasina fled — whose trial opened today on charges of trying to crush the uprising against her government in August 2024. Until now, all notes featured the portrait of her father, the late Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who led Bangladesh from independence from Pakistan in 1971 until soldiers assassinated him and most of his family in a 1975 coup. '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 told AFP. Among the designs in the Muslim-majority nation are images of Hindu and Buddhist temples, as well as historical palaces. They also include artwork of the late painter Zainul Abedin, depicting the Bengal famine during British colonial rule. Another will depict the national martyrs' memorial for those who died in the independence war against Pakistan. Today, notes for three of the nine different denominations were released. 'The new notes will be issued from the central bank's headquarters, and later from its other offices across the country,' he added. 'The other denominations of the notes with new designs will be released in phases'. Existing notes and coins will remain in circulation alongside the new notes. It is not the first time that the design has changed to reflect changing politics. Initial notes issued in 1972 — after Bangladesh changed its name from East Pakistan — featured a map. Later notes featured Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who led the Awami League, which Hasina also led during her 15 years in power. When other parties were in charge — dominated by the powerful Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) — historic and archaeological sites featured. The Awami League was banned last month pending the trial of Hasina and other party leaders. Hasina, 77, is in self-imposed exile in India, and has defied an extradition order to attend her trial. — AFP
Malay Mail
5 days ago
- Business
- Malay Mail
Bangladesh replaces founding father Mujibur Rahman on currency as daughter Hasina faces trial
DHAKA, June 1 — Bangladesh today issued new banknotes to replace designs featuring its founding president, the father of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina who was overthrown last year. The South Asian nation of some 170 million people has been run by a caretaker government since Hasina fled — whose trial opened today on charges of trying to crush the uprising against her government in August 2024. Until now, all notes featured the portrait of her father, the late Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who led Bangladesh from independence from Pakistan in 1971 until soldiers assassinated him and most of his family in a 1975 coup. '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 told AFP. Among the designs in the Muslim-majority nation are images of Hindu and Buddhist temples, as well as historical palaces. They also include artwork of the late painter Zainul Abedin, depicting the Bengal famine during British colonial rule. Another will depict the national martyrs' memorial for those who died in the independence war against Pakistan. Today, notes for three of the nine different denominations were released. 'The new notes will be issued from the central bank's headquarters, and later from its other offices across the country,' he added. 'The other denominations of the notes with new designs will be released in phases'. Existing notes and coins will remain in circulation alongside the new notes. It is not the first time that the design has changed to reflect changing politics. Initial notes issued in 1972 — after Bangladesh changed its name from East Pakistan — featured a map. Later notes featured Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who led the Awami League, which Hasina also led during her 15 years in power. When other parties were in charge — dominated by the powerful Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) — historic and archaeological sites featured. The Awami League was banned last month pending the trial of Hasina and other party leaders. Hasina, 77, is in self-imposed exile in India, and has defied an extradition order to attend her trial. — AFP
