New Delhi/Dhaka: Bangladesh is currently facing a wave of political uncertainty, and within this context, a growing movement is calling for the country to change both its national flag and national anthem. The existing flag was designed by Narain Das, and the national anthem was penned by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore—both of whom were Hindus.
“There is a lot of interest that has been generated about changing the national flag and national anthem. Brigadier General (Retd) Abdullahil Amaan Azmi in a recent briefing had proposed this. He also showered praises on the Chief of Army Staff General Waker-Uz-Zaman,” said Professor Nazmul Ahsan Kalimullah, as reported by The News Indian Express.
Brig. Gen. Azmi, son of the founder of Bangladesh’s Jamaat-e-Islami, was a victim of forced disappearance under the former regime of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and was only recently released.
According to a source from Dhaka, “The Bangladeshi flag has no symbol depicting Islam, such as a crescent, nor does the national anthem represent the freedom struggle of 1971, so a lot of Bangladeshis are now open to the idea. And for all one knows, suddenly a new flag and a new anthem may come into play.”
With Bangladesh’s population now 93% Muslim, there is increasing discussion about national symbols. The remaining population includes 5% Hindus, with Buddhists and Christians making up the rest of the country’s minorities.
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“The Awami League has had an existential crisis in Bangladesh since the former PM Sheikh Hasina left, so they have no say in this. With little or no traces of the founder Sheikh Mujibur Rahman left—after his statues were vandalized and museums demolished—changing the flag and the anthem will not be much of an issue,” the source added.
Reports suggest that a Presidential ordinance could be issued soon, potentially enacting these changes. The country had already witnessed significant symbolic changes following the fall of the Awami League government, such as the police uniform and logo being altered to remove the Awami League’s election symbol of a boat.
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In addition to these internal changes, Pakistan has shown renewed interest in Bangladesh. Pakistan’s High Commissioner recently met with the Vice Chancellor of Dhaka University, and the Pakistani government has offered visa-free travel and direct flights between the two countries.
The interim government appears to be aligning itself with a narrative that resonates more with religious hardliners, whose influence has been increasing in recent months.
