DHAKA: The Muhammad Yunus-led caretaker government in Bangladesh has instructed the central bank to introduce redesigned banknotes that omit the image of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the country’s founding president and Father of the Nation. According to sources at Bangladesh Bank, the decision finalised in Sept will see the new banknotes released within six months and featuring designs inspired by the July uprising that unseated the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League govt in Aug.
The new banknote will showcase religious structures, elements of Bengali tradition, and graffiti from the recent uprising, marking a significant departure from earlier designs that prominently featured Mujibur Rahman. Critics viewed the change as part of the interim govt’s efforts to diminish his legacy and the movement that led to the country’s independence.
Mujibur Rahman was assassinated in a military coup on Aug 15, 1975. Since the caretaker govt took over, several symbolic representations of Mujibur Rahman have been removed, including his portrait from the president’s residence. Holidays associated with him have been cancelled, and protests have seen statues toppled and murals defaced.