Indian newspaper TNIE claims, Bangladesh considers changing national flag, anthem amid political shifts

NEW DELHI, Sep 21 (SABAH): Indian English newspaper “The New Indian Express” has claimed that amidst the chaos and uncertainty affecting Bangladesh, a group of people is advocating changing the national flag and national anthem. The flag was designed by Narain Das, and the anthem was written by 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,” Professor Nazmul Ahsan Kalimullah told “TNIE”.

Brig. Gen. Azmi is the son of the founder of Bangladesh’s Jamaat-e-Islami. He was also the victim of forced disappearance under former Bangladesh’s PM Sheikh Hasina’s regime and was released recently.

“The Bangladeshi flag has no symbol depicting Islam, like the crescent nor does the national anthem depict 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,” according to a source from Dhaka.

Bangladesh’s population is primarily Muslim, now at 93 percent. The diminishing minorities include 5 percent Hindus and the remaining are Buddhists and Christians.

“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 vandalised) museums demolished, changing the flag and the anthem will not be much of an issue,” the source added.

It will only be a matter of time before a Presidential ordinance is brought out and these two changes are administered. It may be recalled that just when the Awami League government fell, the police uniform and logo were changed as it had an election symbol of the Awami League (a boat).”

Pakistani officials and government are showing a renewed interest in Bangladesh. Recently Pakistan’s High Commissioner met the Vice Chancellor of Dhaka University. Pakistan is willing to offer Bangladeshis visa-free travel and direct flights between the two countries.

The interim government is likely to bring about more changes in a bid to build a new narrative in Bangladesh which is more in sync with what the religious hardliners have been preaching and the influence they have begun to exercise, the source added.