Flag of Bangladesh

Flag origins

Bangladesh’s flag is a simple red disc on green. Green represents the country’s lush nature and verdant land. The red disc symbolizes the sun rising over independent Bangladesh and the blood of those who gave their lives for freedom in the 1971 independence war. The government officially identifies both meanings. The disc looks centered but is slightly nearer the flagpole. Official specifications place its center nine-twentieths of the flag’s length from the hoist.

Flag story

An early flag used during the independence movement and war of 1971 had a yellow or gold map of Bangladesh inside the red disc. The map was removed when the post-independence flag was standardized. A commonly given explanation is that reproducing the country’s complex outline accurately on large numbers of flags was difficult. Removing it created today’s simple green field and red disc. The disc’s slight shift toward the hoist also has a visual purpose: when the flag flies, the free end can appear larger, so the offset helps the disc look centered.

Editorial notes and references

Edited by ABELHA WORKS. The English text translates the administrator-edited Japanese description. Legends should be distinguished from documented history. General reference links do not substantiate every statement in the text.

• Bangladesh — general information on Wikipedia
• Japan MOFA: countries and regions (Japanese)

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