Mujibur’s ‘Joy Bangla’ no longer national slogan in Bangladesh

Bangladesh Supreme Court has stayed a High Court verdict that declared ‘Joy Bangla’ — popularised by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman — as the country’s national slogan.

Rahman’s daughter Sheikh Hasina was ousted as prime minister on August 5. Recently, the country’s central bank decided to remove Rahman’s image from currency notes.

Following the change of government, the state moved to suspend the High Court’s ruling and on December 2 filed the leave to appeal petition with the SC seeking a stay on the High Court verdict of March 10, 2020.

A four-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed on Tuesday passed the order on the ground that the national slogan is a matter of the government’s policy decision and the judiciary cannot interfere in this issue.

The full bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed passed the order following a leave to appeal petition filed by the government challenging the High Court judgement, the newspaper Daily Star said on Wednesday.

“’Joy Bangla’ will not be considered as the national slogan following this Appellate Division order,” said Additional Attorney General Aneek R Haque, who appeared for the government during the hearing.

After ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina fled the country following a students’ protest on August 5, an interim government headed by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus took over on August 8.

Following the change of government, the state moved to suspend the High Court’s ruling and on December 2 filed the leave to appeal petition with the SC seeking a stay on the High Court verdict of March 10, 2020.

It declared ‘Joy Bangla’ as the country’s national slogan and ordered the government to take necessary steps so that the slogan is used at all state functions and academic institutions’ assemblies.

Later, on February 20, 2022, the cabinet led by Hasina issued a notice recognising it as the national slogan and the Awami League government issued a gazette notification on March 2, 2022, news portal RisingBD.com said.

On December 1 this year, the apex court upheld another High Court verdict that justified August 15 as the national mourning day and public holiday.

Earlier on August 13, the advisory council of the interim government decided that there would be no national holiday on August 15.

Media reports said last week that Bangladesh Bank is printing new notes, including in the features of the July uprising, referring to the student-led protests that forced Hasina to flee to India on August 5, and not include the image of ‘Bangabandhu’ Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.