The country’s central bank on Sunday unveiled redesigned banknotes that omit the portrait of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the nation’s founding president and father of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
The Bangladesh Bank introduced new notes in three denominations, with six more to follow in phases. Unlike the previous currency which prominently featured Sheikh Mujib a revered figure in the country’s independence movement the new notes showcase natural landscapes, cultural landmarks, and historical symbols, steering clear of any human portraits.
“Under the new series and design, the notes will not feature any human portraits, but will instead highlight the country’s heritage through images of temples, historical palaces, and paintings,” said Arif Hossain Khan, a spokesperson for Bangladesh Bank.
Among the new designs are depictions of Hindu and Buddhist temples, artwork by famed painter Zainul Abedin illustrating the Bengal famine, and the national martyrs’ memorial commemorating those who died in the 1971 war for independence from Pakistan.
This move comes amid significant political turmoil. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was overthrown in August 2024 following mass protests. Since then, a caretaker government has administered the South Asian nation of 170 million. Hasina, now 77, fled to India and remains in self-imposed exile, refusing to return despite an extradition order. Her trial, which began on Sunday, includes charges of violently suppressing last year’s uprising.
The Awami League, once the dominant political force led by Hasina, was officially banned last month along with its top leadership. The new currency designs are seen as part of the caretaker government’s broader attempt to reshape national identity and distance the state from the Hasina legacy.
While the newly issued notes will circulate alongside existing currency, the symbolic removal of Sheikh Mujib’s portrait marks a historic departure. Political observers view it as a clear sign of Bangladesh’s transitional era one in which the memory of its founding father is being gradually sidelined from official narratives.
