Freshly designed banknotes hit Dhaka banks tomorrow

The general public will be able to collect freshly designed banknotes from bank branches across Dhaka from tomorrow, just days ahead of Eid-ul-Adha. 

Traditionally, new banknotes are a popular gift for children, adding a colourful touch to Eid festivities.

However, due to limited supply, the new notes will not be available in district towns outside Dhaka before the Eid holidays, according to the Bangladesh Bank.

Distribution of the new notes began today on a limited scale with Bangladesh Bank's Head Office in Motijheel distributing new Tk20, Tk50, and Tk1,000 notes. 

Simultaneously, distribution started in some bank branches in Dhaka as well.

The 10 banks that began the distribution today are Sonali Bank, Janata Bank, Agrani Bank, Rupali Bank, Pubali Bank, Uttara Bank, Dutch-Bangla Bank, Islami Bank, Al-Arafah Islami Bank, and BRAC Bank. The new notes were supplied to the local offices of these banks.

Other banks are expected to receive new notes tomorrow. However, each bank will decide independently which branches will handle the distribution of the new notes.

The new notes do not feature any human portraits but instead showcase natural landscapes and traditional landmarks of Bangladesh, according Bangladesh Bank Governor Ahsan H Mansur.

The notes have images of mosques, temples, historical landmarks and natural sceneries printed on them, Mansur told reporters on 24 May.

Shafiqul Islam, who visited the central bank today to get notes for a bank, said, "The notes available on the open market still have the previous designs, from the Sheikh Hasina government. I've heard these new notes showcase the July uprising and our national heritage, and I'm excited to get them from banks tomorrow."

Farid Hossain, a professor at Habibullah Bahar College, also came to Motijheel to collect new notes as Eid gifts for children in his family. "New notes for Eid gifts or shopping bring a special feeling – they're not just money, but symbols of Eid memories and love," he said.

Reports say around Tk200 crore worth of new notes have been printed ahead of Eid, most of which will go to banks. The rest will be exchanged at Bangladesh Bank's own counters. The central bank has assured that all existing banknotes and coins will remain legal tender.

The new Tk1000 note, signed by Bangladesh Bank Governor Ahsan H Mansur, is printed on 100% cotton paper, with a watermark of a Bengal tiger's head and a prominent image of the National Martyrs' Memorial. Its purple-dominated design also features Bangladesh's national flower, the shapla, and the National Parliament building.

The new Tk50 note, in deep brown, has a watermark of the Bengal tiger and an image of Ahsan Manzil, with the back showing Zainul Abedin's iconic artwork "Sangram".

The green Tk20 note bears a watermark of the Bengal tiger and features Kantaji Temple and the ruins of Paharpur Buddhist Monastery on its reverse.

Last August, Bangladesh Bank halted printing of all notes featuring Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's image, following the fall of the Awami League government. This led to a surge of worn-out and torn notes in circulation, heightening demand for new currency.