Three new bank notes ahead of Eid-ul-Azha

Bangladesh Bank will release redesigned Tk 20, Tk 50, and Tk 1,000 banknotes into circulation from June 1, ahead of Eid-ul-Azha.

Notably, the new notes do not feature the image of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman -- a move that has already stirred significant public interest.

According to central bank officials, the new notes will initially be available only at Bangladesh Bank's Motijheel office. Select branches of several commercial banks in Dhaka will begin distributing them shortly after.

Signed by Governor Ahsan H Mansur, the banknotes are printed on 100 percent cotton paper and feature a Royal Bengal Tiger watermark, denomination markings, and the central bank's monogram.

The Tk 20 note has a green tint and features Kantaji Temple and the Paharpur Monastery. The Tk 50 note, in dark brown, highlights Ahsan Manzil and Zainul Abedin's Sangram. The Tk 1,000 note, coloured purple, showcases the National Memorial and the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban.

Security upgrades include colour-shifting threads, microprinting, see-through patterns, and optically variable ink. The Tk 1,000 note alone contains 10 security features.

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According to Bangladesh Bank, the redesign aims to curb counterfeiting while visually representing national heritage through prominent landmarks.

As in previous years, the demand for fresh currency typically surges ahead of Eid, when people traditionally exchange crisp notes as gifts.

However, no new notes were released last Eid due to political controversy surrounding the use of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's portrait on currency notes following the July Uprising.

In response, the central bank halted the release of the previous designs and barred commercial banks from circulating notes already in storage.

"This time, only the Tk 20, Tk 50, and Tk 1,000 notes will be introduced before Eid," said a senior Bangladesh Bank official.

He added that printing of the redesigned Tk 5, Tk 10, Tk 100, Tk 200, and Tk 500 notes is expected to begin after Eid.

The move is seen as part of a broader currency redesign initiative following recent political shifts.