Bangladesh Bank has issued the first three denominations of a new series of circulation banknotes. The series was announced in 2024; the banknotes will be dated 2025.
The theme of this newest series of banknotes is “Historical and Archaeological Architecture of Bangladesh”— a stark contrast to the previous series which featured images of the first president of Bangladesh. This change is the result of the overthrow of the Bangladeshi Prime Minister in 2024.
The new banknote series depicts elements of Bangladesh’s current political climate: cultural landmarks, religion (Hindu and Buddhist temples), history, and nature.
Three denominations lead the way
All denominations of Bangladesh banknotes, all produced on a cotton paper substrate, will be entered into circulation. The first three denominations – 20, 50 and 1,000 taka – were put into circulation on June 1, 2025.
1,000 Taka Banknote
The front side of the note features the National Martyrs’ Monument in Savar and water lilies (the national flower of Bangladesh). The reverse side features the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban (National Parliament building).
50 Taka Banknote
The face of this note depicts the Ahsan Manzil palace and water lilies. Zainul Abedin’s painting, “The Struggle,” appears on the reverse side.
20 Taka Banknote
The face of the 20 taka banknote depicts the Kantaji Hindu temple and a water lily. The reverse side features the Buddhist Paharpur vihara (monastery).
Upgraded security features help prevent counterfeiting
To guard against counterfeiting the new banknotes contain several kinds of security features, such as:
- Watermark
- Windowed security thread
- Registration device
- Denomination in OVI
- Bank logo in electrotype
The exact style and location of these security features vary by denomination.
Feature to help visually impaired consumers
The 50 and 1,000 taka banknotes include tactile markers to help blind and visually impaired consumers identify the note’s denomination. These indicators are located on the face of each note as seven diagonal lines on the right edge and, below them, circles that form a marking for the visually impaired and blind.
Old and new banknotes circulate alongside each other
The old series of banknotes will eventually be replaced with the new series, although a firm date has not yet been announced. For the time being, all banknotes currently in circulation remain legal tender.
Sources/References:
Bangladesh Bank
Banknote News
Notafilia
The Indian Eye
