Bangladesh launches new look currencies to honour national heritage
Bangladesh has unveiled six newly designed banknotes that highlight the country’s historic and cultural landmarks.
The central bank announced the move on June 1, as part of a wider plan to release an entirely redesigned series titled “Historic and Archaeological Architecture of Bangladesh.”
The redesigned notes worth Tk500 ($4.25), Tk200 ($1.70), Tk100 ($0.85), Tk10 ($0.08), Tk5 ($0.04), and Tk2 ($0.02) will enter circulation gradually.
Earlier the same day, new Tk1,000 ($8.50), Tk50 ($0.42), and Tk20 ($0.17) notes began circulating.
The central bank said this updated series, called “Historic and Archaeological Architecture of Bangladesh,” aims to showcase important landmarks while maintaining the legal tender status of all existing notes and coins.
The Tk500 note displays the Supreme Court of Bangladesh and Dhaka’s Central Shaheed Minar. The Tk200 note features the Aparajeyo Bangla sculpture at Dhaka University and student-drawn graffiti from the July uprising.
The Tk100 note includes the UNESCO-listed Sixty Dome Mosque in Bagerhat and the Sundarbans forest.
Smaller denominations also reflect important sites. The Tk10 note features the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque.
The Tk5 and Tk2 notes, signed by the secretary of finance rather than the central bank governor, also show the Tara Mosque and memorials for martyred intellectuals.
Each note includes a watermark of a Royal Bengal Tiger, numerical values, and official monograms for added security. The central bank plans to announce release dates and security features through public updates.
Authorities say the new designs are part of a long-term effort to modernise the national currency and increase public appreciation of Bangladesh’s history and identity.
