Protestors Demand New Bangladesh Anthem, Yunus Govt says ‘Won’t do Anything Controversial’

Dhaka: There have been growing demands in Bangladesh over the change of their national anthem “Amar Sonar Bangla” written by Indian poet and writer Rabindranath Tagore as the opposers to it claim that this anthem was imposed by India after the liberation of the country in 1971. 

Bangladesh 's prominent cultural organization, Udichi Shilpigosthi, hosted an event where people across the country sang the national anthem simultaneously in response to growing calls for changes to the anthem and flag, according to a Bangladesh daily. 

Yunus Govt Reacts, “Will not do anything to create controversy” 

Bangladesh ’s Religious Affairs Adviser AFM Khalid Hossain stated that the Muhammad Yunus government will avoid actions that could stir controversy.

Bangladesh National Anthem Row

The controversy over the anthem started when critics claimed it does not reflect the identity of an independent Bangladesh . Abdullahil Amaan Azmi, son of the former Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ghulam Azam, argued that the current national anthem contradicts the essence of the nation’s independence achieved in 1971.

“It reflects the time of the Bengal partition and the merging of the two Bengals. How can an anthem created to unite the two Bengals become the national anthem of an independent Bangladesh ? This anthem was imposed on us by India in 1971. There are many songs that could serve as a national anthem. The government should form a new commission to select a new national anthem,” Azmi said at a press conference.

The former brigadier general, who was previously disappeared and later released following the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina , has called for a new anthem that better resonates with the nation’s identity and values. He also argued for constitutional reforms to ensure that laws align with Islamic principles. Azmi’s case received support on Bangladeshi social media, with some users suggesting alternative songs to replace the current anthem.

Bangladesh Can Ask For Hasina’s Extradition

The Bangladesh interim government’s foreign affairs advisor Mohammed Touhid Hossain, has said that as cases mount against Sheikh Hasina , his country could consider seeking the extradition of the former premier but that would create an “embarrassing situation for the Indian government.”

In an exclusive interview to Reuters TV in Dhaka, Hossain said that “since there are so many cases” against Hasina in Bangladesh , the country’s home and law ministries could make the request to extradite her. 

Bangladesh is currently experiencing a turbulent political climate, with Sheikh Hasina resigning from her position on August 5 amidst escalating protests. Following her resignation, Hasina fled the country aboard a military aircraft and is now residing in India. 

The protests, largely led by students demanding the abolition of the government job quota system, evolved into broader anti-government demonstrations. On August 8, Nobel laureate economist Muhammad Yunus was inaugurated as the head of Bangladesh 's interim government, with 17 members of the interim administration taking their oaths in a ceremony held in Dhaka.