Who Was Sheikh Mujibur Rahman And Why Is He Called The Father Of Bangladesh?

The interim government of Bangladesh changed a 2022 Act and removed the mention of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as the ‘Father of the Nation’. The development came soon after the interim administration led by Prof. Mohammed Yunus brought in a new set of currency notes that removed the image of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

The new notification brought on June 3 does not refer to Sheikh Mujib as the ‘Father of the Nation’ while referring to the war of 1971 and the role of freedom fighters. In contrast, the 2022 Act referred to him as Jatir Pita, (Father of the Nation) at multiple points while describing the heritage of the war of 1971.

Earlier this week, the Yunus government introduced a series of currency notes that depicted the pluralistic heritage of Bangladesh while removing the well-known image of Mujibur Rahman that is seen in existing currency notes of Bangladesh. The interim government has defended the removal of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman from the ‘Liberation War Act ’ and said, he continues to be a ‘freedom fighter’.