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The status of these banknotes became a point of contention following the political upheaval. After the fall of the Awami League government in July 2024 amid a mass uprising, the interim government, led by Nobel Laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus, initiated changes regarding state symbols and iconography.
During that period, the interim administration decided to halt the issuance of notes featuring Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and moved to introduce newly designed currency. Consequently, freshly printed notes held in various bank vaults were sealed and kept out of circulation.
However, the move faced criticism from some economists and bankers who argued that withholding already-printed currency would result in a significant waste of state resources.
The policy underwent a fresh review after the BNP-led government assumed office following the recent general elections. The current administration concluded that keeping the printed notes locked in vaults indefinitely was economically unjustifiable.
Arif Hossain Khan, spokesperson for the central bank, confirmed that while work on nine types of new currency designs is ongoing, the pace of supply has not yet met market requirements.
"The printing of new designs is underway, but the supply speed is slightly lower than the current demand," Khan stated.
"Since the previous notes were never banned and there is a need for cash in the market, we are releasing the previously printed notes in phases," he added.