The flag of Bangladesh was officially adopted on January 17, 1972, after Bangladesh gained independence. The flag features a red disc on a dark green field, slightly off-centre toward the hoist for visual balance when the flag is flying.
The design
The Flag of Bangladesh is a national emblem rendered in the colours and proportions defined by the country’s flag law. Its official aspect ratio is 3:5, the height-to-length ratio that fixes how the flag should be cut and flown. The colour scheme uses Green, Red, with each shade specified to particular Pantone or RGB values for official reproduction.
The background of the flag is a vibrant green colour, which represents the fertile land and natural beauty of Bangladesh. Green is also a colour associated with growth, vitality, and prosperity.
Centred on the green field is a large red circle. This circle represents the blood of those who sacrificed their lives during the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971. It is a powerful symbol of the struggle for independence and the resilience of the Bangladeshi people.
Colour palette
| Colour | Name | Common symbolism |
|---|---|---|
| Green | Green | Tends to evoke land, agriculture, hope, Islam or the natural environment. |
| Red | Red | Often signifies courage, sacrifice, revolution or the blood of those who fought for the nation. |
| Source | Official flag law | The country’s own statute or constitutional appendix specifies exact shades and proportions. |
Symbolism & heraldry
The red disc represents the rising sun and the blood of those who died for independence; the green field represents the lush, fertile landscape of Bangladesh.
Heraldic elements on the Flag of Bangladesh — bands, charges, emblems or stars — each carry meaning agreed at the moment of the flag’s adoption. Re-readings happen across generations: a colour or a symbol that began with one meaning often picks up further layers as the country’s history unfolds.
Adoption & history
The current flag was adopted in 1972. Earlier banners flown by Bangladesh reflected the politics of their day; each redesign typically marked a moment of independence, regime change or constitutional reform. The current flag was chosen, debated and codified through the country’s official channels and is now protected by flag law.
Etiquette & protocol
The Flag of Bangladesh should be flown with respect: never allowed to touch the ground, never used as drapery for ceremonies it was not made for, and lowered or removed at sundown unless illuminated. When flown alongside other national flags, it takes precedence on home soil and is hoisted first and lowered last. On days of national mourning, the flag is flown at half-mast in line with directives from the head of state. These conventions are common to most nations and are usually written into the flag’s founding statute.
Specifications
| Field | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Country | Bangladesh | — |
| Continent | Asia | — |
| ISO alpha-2 | BD | 2-letter code |
| ISO alpha-3 | BGD | 3-letter code |
| Adopted | 1972 | year of current design |
| Proportion | 3:5 | height : length |
| Colours | Green, Red | — |
| Designer | — | |
| Emoji | 🇧🇩 | Unicode codepoint sequence |
Did you know?
The disc is offset from the geometric centre by 1/22 of the flag’s length so that it appears centred when the flag is unfurled in wind.
