New Bangladesh Banknotes Feature Temples, Palaces, And Artwork, No Human Portraits

Last Updated:June 02, 2025, 11:27 IST

Bangladesh Bank also said the existing paper notes and metal coins will continue to remain in circulation alongside the new notes.

New Bangladesh Banknotes Feature Temples, Palaces, And Artwork

Bangladesh issued new banknotes on Monday, replacing the texts and numbers in Bengali with English. The new notes featured traditional landmarks of the country.

Initially, these newly designed notes will be issued from Bangladesh Bank’s Motijheel office, and subsequently from its other branch offices across the country.

New banknotes removed designs that previously featured the portrait of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s father and the nation’s founding president, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. 

Until now, all notes featured the portrait of the late Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who led Bangladesh from its independence from Pakistan in 1971 until soldiers assassinated him and most of his family in a 1975 coup. 

Bangladesh’s new banknotes will feature diverse designs, including images of Hindu and Buddhist temples, historical palaces, and artwork by late painter Zainul Abedin, which depicts the Bengal famine during British colonial rule.

“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 design change isn’t new; it reflects shifting politics. After Bangladesh gained independence in 1972, initial notes featured a map. Later, notes showcased Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the Awami League leader, who was also the party leader during Hasina’s 15-year tenure in power.

Bangladesh Bank also said the existing paper notes and metal coins will continue to remain in circulation alongside the new notes.

The bank has also printed non-exchangeable specimen notes of Tk1,000, Tk50, and Tk20, catering to the interests of currency collectors.

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Bangladesh

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News world New Bangladesh Banknotes Feature Temples, Palaces, And Artwork, No Human Portraits