Taka is the official currency of the People's Republic of Bangladesh. The Bangladesh Bank is responsible for the issuance of most of the taka banknotes. The taka banknotes were first issued in 1972, following the independence of Bangladesh, replacing the Pakistani rupee. The Security Printing Corporation (Bangladesh) Ltd. has the sole legal authority for the printing of the banknotes.
There had been eleven series of taka banknotes since the issuance of the first series in 1972. Banknotes generally feature the heritage sites (mostly mosques), national monuments, and portrayals of the village life, agriculture, industry, and animals of the country. Apart from this, the portrait of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding president of Bangladesh, used to feature on the obverse of the series issued under the Awami League governments.
First series Bangladesh introduced its first banknotes on 4 March 1972. At first, 1 taka and 100 taka banknotes were introduced. Later, 10 and 5 taka notes were added. This first issued series is commonly known as the "map series". These banknotes are considered emergency issue banknotes to replace the Pakistan rupee banknotes, both with and without rubber stamp overprints. Map Series (1972) Image Value Description Period Obverse Reverse Obverse Reverse ৳1 Map of Bangladesh Guilloche patterns and "1" in Bengali ("১") 4 March 1972 – 30 March 1974 ৳5 Map of Bangladesh and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Guilloche patterns and "5" in Bengali and English 2 June 1972 – 1 April 1973 ৳10 Guilloche patterns and "10" in Bengali and English 2 May 1972 – 1 April 1973 ৳100 Guilloche patterns and "100" in Bengali and English 4 March 1972 – 1 April 1973 Second series After issuing the first banknotes, there were many conspiracy theories, counterfeiting problems, and rumours, so the government issued the second series. These second series banknotes were printed by Thomas De La Rue of the United Kingdom. First-issued banknotes were subsequently withdrawn from circulation by 30 April 1974 after having ceased to hold legal tender status from 30 March 1974.
Thomas De La Rue Series (1972) Image Value Main Color Description First Issue Obverse Reverse Obverse Reverse ৳1 Dark purple, light purple and khaki Hand holding paddy rice National Emblem of Bangladesh 2 March 1973 ৳5 Red Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Shapla flowers 1 September 1972 ৳10 Green Rural landscape of riverine Bangladesh 2 June 1972 ৳100 Gray Riverscape of rural Bangladesh 1 September 1972
Third series The Bangladesh government signed agreements with Thomas De La Rue and Bradbury Wilkinson at the same time. Both of them printed same the denominations with different designs almost at the same time. As a result, two different series were circulating at the same time.
Bradbury Wilkinson Series (1972) Image Value Main Color Description First Issue Obverse Reverse Obverse Reverse ৳1 Dark purple, light purple and khaki Woman pounding grain Hand holding paddy rice, and the National Emblem of Bangladesh 18 December 1973 ৳5 Red Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Factories by a river 15 September 1972 ৳10 Green Rural scene 15 October 1973
Fourth series In 1976, following the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and subsequent regime changes in 1975, a completely new series of notes was introduced, except for the 1-taka note, which was released as the second variety of the third issue during 1976. The notes of this issue are notable for the absence of the portrait of Sheikh Mujib, whose portrait had dominated all issues of the Bangladesh Bank until this issue. Instead of the familiar portrait, each note has an illustration of the Star Mosque on its front. 50 and 500 taka denominations were added in this series. 5, 10, 50, and 100 taka denominations were printed by Thomas De La Rue. 500 taka notes were printed by Giesecke and Devrient of Germany.
Star Mosque Series (1976) Image Value Main Color Description First Issue Obverse Reverse Obverse Reverse ৳5 Brown Star Mosque Factories by a river 11 October 1976 ৳10 Purple Rice harvest ৳50 Orange Tea garden 1 March 1976 ৳100 Orange and blue River scene ৳500 Blue, purple and black Supreme Court of Bangladesh 15 December 1976
Fifth series The fifth issue of banknotes was introduced over a two-year period from December 1977 to September 1979. The notes of this issue are very similar to those of the fourth issue, except the Star Mosque was replaced on most notes by a new vignette, and the colours of the notes are a little darker. There was no 500-taka note released in this issue, but a new denomination note of 20 taka was introduced on 20 August 1979, being the last note of this issue prepared by the Bangladesh Bank.
Fifth Series (1977) Image Value Main Color Description First Issue Obverse Reverse Obverse Reverse ৳1 Orange and yellow The National Emblem of Bangladesh Three spotted deer 3 September 1979 ৳5 Brown Mihrab of the Kusumba Mosque Factories by a river 2 May 1978 ৳10 Purple Atia Mosque Rice harvest 3 August 1978 ৳20 Green Choto Sona Mosque Jute washing 20 August 1979 ৳50 Orange Sat Gambuj Mosque Tea garden 4 June 1979 ৳100 Blue and brown Star Mosque Southern gate of Lalbagh Fort 15 December 1977
Sixth series During the 1980s, some designs of taka notes were introduced, but most of the designs were the same. A new denomination of taka 2 note was also introduced. 10 and 50 takas were redesigned. Other denominations were the same as the previous series.
1980s Banknotes Image Value Main Color Description First Issue Obverse Reverse Obverse Reverse ৳2 Salmon pink and green Shaheed Minar The doyel (the national bird) 29 December 1988 ৳10 Copper Atia Mosque Spillway of Kaptai Dam 3 September 1982 ৳50 Red National Martyrs' Memorial Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban 24 August 1987
Seventh series After the Awami League formed a government in 1996, newly designed banknotes of 10, 50, and 500 taka were issued from 1997. The 10 taka note had a portrait of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman for the first time since the third series. 90s Series Image Value Main Color Description First Issue Obverse Reverse Obverse Reverse ৳10 Green and brown Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Lalbagh Fort Mosque 11 December 1997 ৳50 Orange Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban Bagha Mosque 22 August 1999 ৳500 Blue and orange National Martyrs' Memorial Supreme Court of Bangladesh 2 July 1998
Eighth series This series was printed between 2000 and 2001. A polymer banknote of denomination 10 was added, but later withdrawn due to lack of popularity. Paper notes of denomination 100 and 500 were printed with new designs. A portrait of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was added on each new note replacing the National Martyrs' Memorial.
Bangabandhu Series (2000) Image Value Main Color Description First Issue Obverse Reverse Obverse Reverse৳10PinkSheikh Mujibur Rahman and Baitul Mukarram National MosqueJatiya Sangsad Bhaban14 December 2000৳100BlueSheikh Mujibur Rahman and Sixty Dome MosqueBangabandhu Bridge15 March 2001৳500Cream and PinkSheikh Mujibur Rahman and Sat Gambuj MosqueSupreme Court of Bangladesh10 August 2000
Ninth series After the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) came to power in 2001, a new series of banknotes was introduced between 2002 and 2003. The portrait of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was absent in this series. In 2008, the 1000 taka note was introduced. Ninth Series Image Value Main Color Description First Issue Obverse Reverse Obverse Reverse৳10PinkNational Emblem of Bangladesh and Baitul Mukarram National MosqueJatiya Sangsad Bhaban7 January 2002৳100BlueNational Martyrs' Memorial and Sixty Dome MosqueJamuna Bridge5 June 2002৳500Cream and pinkNational Martyrs' Memorial and Sat Gambuj MosqueSupreme Court of Bangladesh17 July 2002৳1000PinkShaheed Minar, DhakaCurzon Hall27 October 2008
Tenth series After the Awami League restored power in 2009, the Bangladesh Bank issued a new series of banknotes, phasing out the older designs for new, more secure ones. All banknotes other than the 1 taka feature a portrait of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on the obverse along with the watermark of the National Martyrs' Memorial. Bangabandhu Series Image Value Dimensions Main Color Description Date of Issue Obverse Reverse Obverse Reverse Watermark ৳2 100 × 60 mm Tan & Green Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and National Martyrs' Memorial (Savar) Shaheed Minar, Dhaka Sheikh Mujibur Rahman andelectrotype denomination15 July 2021৳5117 × 60 mmGreyKusumba Mosque5 January 2017৳10122 × 60 mmPinkBaitul Mukarram National Mosque7 March 2012৳20127 × 60 mmGreenSixty Dome Mosque৳50130 × 60 mmOrangePloughing (Zainul Abedin's painting)15 December 2019৳100140 × 62 mmBlueStar Mosque9 August 2011৳200146 × 63 mmYellowSheikh Mujibur Rahman and Agriculture in Bangladesh17 March 2020৳500152 × 65 mmCyanAgriculture in Bangladesh9 August 2011৳1000160 × 70 mmVioletJatiya Sangsad Bhaban
Eleventh series Following the fall of the Awami League in the July Uprising in 2024, the Bangladesh Bank announced plans to redesign Taka banknotes by 2025. The central bank's Currency and Design Advisory Committee, made up of nine members, was selected to submit theme proposals to the Ministry of Finance. The portrait of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was removed, and graffiti of the July Uprising was added in this series. Historical and Archaeological Architecture of Bangladesh Series Image Value Main Color Description First Issue Obverse Reverse Obverse Reverse৳2Light GreenMartyred Intellectuals Memorial, MirpurMartyred Intellectuals Memorial, Rayer Bazar5 June 2025৳5PinkStar MosqueGraffiti of the July Uprising 19 May 2026৳10Baitul Mukarram National Mosque 3 February 2026৳20CyanKantajew TempleSomapura Mahavihara1 June 2025৳50Deep BrownAhsan ManzilThe Struggle by Zainul Abedin৳100Sky BlueSixty Dome MosqueThe Sundarbans12 August 2025৳200Golden YellowAparajeyo BanglaGraffiti of the July Uprising5 June 2025৳500Olive GreenCentral Shaheed MinarSupreme Court of Bangladesh4 December 2025৳1000VioletNational Martyrs' MemorialJatiya Sangsad Bhaban1 June 2025
Commemorative banknotes The folder of the banknote for the 40th anniversary of the independence of Bangladesh had a spelling error of the name of the country. It was inserted as Bangldesh instead of Bangladesh.
Commemorative banknotes of the Bangladeshi taka Occasion Image Value Dimensions Main Colors Description Year of Issue Date of First IssuePrint Volume Watermark Obverse Reverse Obverse ReverseVictory Day Silver Jubilee (1971–1996)10Violet on multicolor underprintAtiya Jam-e Mosque in TangaliSpillway of Kaptai Dam1996Modified tiger head; overprint on obverse watermark area: "VICTORY DAY SILVER JUBILEE '96"40th Anniversary of Independence (1971–2011)40122 x 60 mmDark red, orange, and greenSheikh Mujibur Rahman; National monument (Savar)Soldiers201121 December 2011 Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, electrotype 10 denomination and bank logo60 Years of Language Movement (1952–2012)60130 x 60 mmYellow, brown, violet, orange, and blueShaheed Minar, DhakaVeterans of the Bengali language movement; first Shaheed Minar monument (1952)201215 February 201220,000 (5000 in folders)Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on pixelated background, electrotype bank logo and 50Silver Jubilee of "The Security Printing Corporation (Bangladesh) Ltd." (1988–2013)25123 x 60 mmBlue, purple and redNational Martyr's Monument in Savar; Bangladeshi taka banknotes and postage stamps; three spotted deer; magpie-robin (doyel)Headquarters of the Security Printing Corporation 201326 January 2013Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, electrotype 10 denomination and bank logo100 Years Bangladesh National Museum (1913–2013)100 140 x 62 mmBlue and red18th-century terra-cotta plaque of a horsemanBangladesh National Museum9 July 2013100,000