FLAG OF BANGLADESH: HISTORY AND MEANING - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

The flag of Bangladesh is the most important official national symbol of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, a country located in South Asia. In Spanish, according to the Royal Spanish Academy, it is advisable to refer to the country as Bangladesh.

This flag has a simple composition. It is a dark green cloth, with a red circle located in the central left part. It is the only flag in the world, along with that of Japan, that has a large red sphere.

By User: SKopp, via Wikimedia Commons

Like the Japanese flag, the large red disk represents the sun. In this case, specifically, it is the sun rising over the Bengal region. Furthermore, it is also identified with blood. Instead, green is often related to Bangladeshi land.

This flag was established on January 17, 1972. The flag replaced the previous insignia of the Provisional Government of Bangladesh, which remained in force between 1971 and 1972. Bangladesh gained independence from Pakistan in 1971 after a bloody war.

The People's Republic of Bangladesh also has multiple banners that distinguish its authorities. In addition, it has a civil flag and several military and police flags.

History of the flag

Bangladesh was part of the British Raj, which was the British Empire's colony for South Asia. That colony was made up of present-day India, Pakistan, Burma, and Bangladesh.

Hence, the first flags of Bangladesh were those of the Raj, with the Union Jack in the corner and a red background. On this flag was placed the medal of the Order of the Star of India.

The Raj region represented a stumbling block for the British regime. Finally, in 1947 the British government ended up giving in and the Partition of India into two states took place.

Partition of India

Following the Partition of India, the Bengal region was divided. The western part was assigned to India, while the eastern part went to Pakistan. This region would be present-day Bangladesh, but then it received the name of East Pakistan.

During Pakistani rule, the flag of this country was used. This has a small vertical white stripe on the far left. The rest of the flag is dark green, with a white crescent and star within this space.

In Pakistani rule, there was the Bangladesh Liberation War. This armed movement achieved its independence from Bangladesh with the support of India. During these events, the flag was designed for the first time.

National flag design

The first to come up with it were a group of student leaders and activists from the Swadhin Bangla Nucleus. This was a student independence movement.

These events occurred on June 6, 1970, in room 108 of the then Iqball hall (today Sergeant Zahurul Haq hall), of the University of Dhaka. Among the designers were Kazi Ahmed, Abdur Rab, Kumar Choudhury, among others.

The materials from which this primitive flag was built were donated by Bazlur Rahman Lasker. He owned a tailor shop in the city market.

The initial design featured a map of then East Pakistan, traced from an atlas. This was done in room 302 of the Quaid-I-Azam room (now Titumir room) of EPUET (now Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, BUET). Those responsible were different students such as Hasanul Haq Inu and Enamul Haq.

The first time the flag was raised was at the University of Dhaka, by student leader Abdur Rab, then vice president of the Dhaka University Students Union (DUCSU). This flag rejected the symbolism of the crescent and the star, considering it typical of Pakistan.

Establishment as a national flag

Since March 2, 1971, days before the declaration of independence, the flag was adopted by the movement. Finally, the Provisional Government of Bangladesh established it as its own.

This flag was identical to the current one, but with the map of Bangladesh in orange inside the red circle. Given the difficulty of drawing the map correctly on both sides of the flag, it was decided to remove it at the end of the Provisional Government.

Following the official proclamation of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, on January 17, 1972, the country's flag was proclaimed. The design was the same but without the mentioned map.

Meaning of the flag

No official legislation establishes the meaning of the colors and the flag. However, it has been popularly held that the color green represents the Bangladeshi landscape.

This color was chosen because it is the one that can identify the greenness of the country's lands. It is also notable that Bangladesh is a Muslim country, and green is the color of Islam.

In the case of red, several meanings are denoted. In the first place, and as is common among flags, it represents the blood shed in the War of Liberation. However, the circular shape also represents the sun rising in the Bengal region.

This duality representing the blood of the fallen and the birth of the new day has a remarkable epic. The flag of Bangladesh is capable of synthesizing birth and death in the same element.

Uses of the flag

The flag of Bangladesh, as a symbol of the country, can be used by any citizen at any time. All this, as long as it is respectful of the national symbol.

However, the flag must always be hoisted at the presidential residence. It should also be done in those of the prime minister, the president of the parliament and the Supreme Court. All this without excluding the official residences of the ministers, vice ministers, parliamentary spokesmen and the leader of the opposition.

The flag is raised on holidays, such as the Victory (December 16), Independence (March 26). This activity is also done to commemorate the birthday of the prophet of Islam, Muhammad.

In addition, the flag is used at half mast on National Shaheed Day, which became International Mother Language Day (February 21). It is also done on Bangladesh's national day of mourning on August 15.

Other flags

Bangladesh additionally has other flags that complement the national insignia. The civil flag or flag of the merchant marine is one of them. It is made up of the country's flag in the upper left corner, while the rest is red.

Also, the high officials of the State have banners. The president and prime minister have maroon cloths with the national coat of arms and the name of their office. AND

Parliament also has its banner, green with the seal of the institution in the middle. The same goes for the Supreme Court of Justice, but the background is cyan.

Military flags

Finally, the military components also have their flags. The Army has a green flag with two crossed swords in the middle, presided over by the water lily of the national shield.

Aviation has a flag composed of the national flag in the upper left. The rest of the flag is cyan with the national cockade in the lower right.

In the case of the Navy, it has the flag in the corner. The rest of the pavilion will be white. The Coast Guard flag is the same, but with a medium blue background.

References

1. Arias, E. (2006). Flags of the world. Editorial Gente Nueva: Havana, Cuba.
2. Cabinet Division. Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh. (1972). People's Republic of Bangladesh Flag Rules. Cabinet Division. Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh. Recovered from lib.pmo.gov.bd.
3. INC. The World Factbook. (June 29, 2018). Bangladesh. Flag description. INC. The World Factbook. Recovered from cia.gov.
4. Ludden, D. (2011). The politics of independence in Bangladesh. Economic and Political Weekly, 79-85.Retrieved from jstor.org.
5. Smith, W. (2013). Flag of Bangladesh. Encyclopædia Britannica. Recovered from britannica.com.