Bangladesh to replace Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's image with ‘graffiti’ on banknotes

Months after Bangladesh's former PM Sheikh Hasina's ousting, Bangladesh is set to remove the image of ‘Bangabandhu’ Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the country's founding father, from its currency, Dhaka Tribune reported.

Bangladesh Bank is printing new notes featuring elements commemorating the July uprising, a student-led movement that forced Hasina to flee to India on 5 August. Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus subsequently assumed the role of Chief Adviser, leading the interim government.

Bangladesh's New Currency Design

The Bangladesh Bank has begun the process of printing new banknotes, which will feature symbols of the July protests, including religious landmarks, Bengali cultural elements, and "graffiti" created during the student-led uprising.

This series of protests had ultimately led to the ousting of Sheikh Hasina and her subsequent flight to India on August 5.

The central bank confirmed that banknotes of Taka 20, 100, 500, and 1,000 are being redesigned in line with directives from the interim government. Notably, these new designs will no longer feature the image of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, also known as "Bangabandhu" (Friend of Bengal).

Officials from the bank and Bangladesh's Ministry of Finance said the leader’s image will be removed from the current notes. Initially, the design of the four notes is being changed, and the others will be redesigned in phases

The design proposals were submitted to the Finance Ministry's Finance Institute Division in September.

Attack on Mujibur Rahman’s Legacy

The shift in currency design follows intense political unrest, particularly the student-led protests that took place earlier this year. These protests, originally sparked by controversy over a job quota system, quickly evolved into widespread anti-government demonstrations in Bangladesh.

As Sheikh Hasina fled the country, protestors turned their attention to the country's political symbols, with statues and murals of ‘Bangabandhu’ Mujibur Rahman being vandalised.

This wave of dissent in Bangladesh has posed a direct challenge to the legacy of Sheikh Mujibur Mujibur Rahman, often referred to as the Father of the Nation, who played a pivotal role in Bangladesh’s independence from Pakistan.

Bangladesh Court Bans Publication of Speeches by Hasina

A special tribunal in Bangladesh on Thursday banned the publication of any speeches by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who is in exile in India after being ousted in August following mass protests.

The decision came a day after Hasina made her first public speech in a virtual address to supporters of her Awami League party in New York. In the speech, she accused Bangladesh's interim leader, Nobel peace laureate Muhammad Yunus, of perpetrating genocide and failing to protect minorities, especially Hindus, since her ouster.

Mohammad Yunus Takes Charge of Bangladesh

Following the departure of Sheikh Hasina, Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus was appointed as Chief Adviser of the interim government. Yunus, who is known globally for his work in microfinance, now holds the position of head of the Bangladesh's interim administration.

However, his leadership has not been without criticism. Sheikh Hasina’s recent remarks targeted Yunus for his failure to protect religious minorities, including Hindus, during the protests. These statements were met with backlash, and Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal labelled them as “hate speech.”